Heart of the Protector
by Raven524
Summary: A routine hunt leads the boys into trouble in the deep Minnesota woods. WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS – story is set some time post Devil’s Trap and may refer to things that happened anytime during the first Season.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Summary:** A routine hunt leads the boys into trouble in the deep Minnesota woods. WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS – story is set some time post Devil's Trap and may refer to things that happened anytime during the first Season.

Raven524: Thanks again to all those who have read and especially to those who take the time to review my previous stories. I hope you like the new one…just drop me a line and let me know what you think!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 1 – Hunt Gone Bad**

The woods were too quiet. Dean looked towards his right and saw his brother moving quietly beside him. Dean knew that the lack of noise meant the werewolf was most likely somewhere in the vicinity. Dean paused as he listened, a slight rustling sound to his left catching his attention. He motioned noiselessly to Sam to follow as the two hunters closed in on their prey.

They had been hunting this werewolf for the past week. Sam had come across the newspaper article that described the unusual number of hunters who had been killed in the dense woods of this remote area of Minnesota. After doing some research and talking to some of the locals, all evidence indicated that a werewolf had taken up residence in the woods.

A menacing growl was the only warning the two boys had before the great wolf launched from the dense brush just ahead of them. Before Dean could react, the wolf was on Sam knocking his brother onto his back. "Sammy!" Dean yelled as he took aim at the wolf.

Dean could see the flash of white teeth and heard the screams of his brother as the wolf clawed at Sam. Dean emptied his gun into the beast, but could not get a clear shot at the wolf's heart without risking hitting his brother. Sam and the wolf continued their life and death struggle as Dean grabbed a tree branch and approached the wolf. He hit the wolf with the tree branch, hoping to dislodge it from his brother. But all that did was enrage the beast further.

Dean watched in horror as the wolf snapped near Sam's exposed throat. Sam anticipating the animal's intent put his arm into the wolf's jaws and pushed back with all his strength…Dean heard the bone snap and cringed at his brother's scream. "Sammy! Hold on…I'm coming!"

Dean launched himself at the wolf, grabbing it around the throat and tried to wrestle it off of his younger brother. "Sammy work with me here…push him off!"

Sam heard his brother's plea through the fog of pain. He pulled his legs up and placing them against the ribs of the wolf, he pushed with all his strength. As he felt the animal roll off of him, Sam immediately rolled away; pulling his gun and aiming for the heart…he pulled the trigger.

The wolf yelled in rage as it disappeared into the brush. But not before Sam caught a flash of yellow in the wolf's eyes. Sam groaned as he tried to get to his feet. He had seen Dean thrown into the bushes by the wolf just before Sam shot him. "Dean…Dean are you ok?" Sam called.

There was no answer. Sam struggled to his feet, swaying with dizziness from the pain of his wounds. He moved towards where he had seen his brother thrown. Keeping a wary eye for the possessed wolf, Sam walked carefully through the brush. He paused as he heard a low moan from directly in front of him. Sam pushed the brush aside and was astonished to see a deep hole in front of him. "Dean…are you down there?" Sam called, reaching into his back pocket for a flashlight.

"Man, watch that first step!" Dean called as Sam's light found his brother's body. Dean was laying on the ground of a vertical cave. The walls were smooth from erosion and it looked like Dean was laying in water that must have gathered from the recent rain.

"Dude are you ok?" Sam asked, trying to figure out a way to get his brother out of the hole. The nearest rope would be back at the cabin they had rented, a mile back in the woods.

"Just peachy and you?" Dean asked sarcastically as he stood in the narrow space looking up at the worried face of his younger brother. "Seriously Sam, I'm fine. A few scrapes and a bump on the head…but otherwise I'm just fine."

"Dean…do you think you can climb out?" Sam asked.

"I don't think so Sam…I don't see any footholds and the walls are too far apart." Dean hated feeling helpless, especially when he knew that his brother needed him. He knew that Sam had to be in bad shape and was probably just remaining conscious through sheer force of will.

Sam looked around, but couldn't see any other way to get his brother out of the hole. "I'm going to have to go back to the cabin and get some rope Dean…will you be ok?"

"Sam…what happened to the werewolf? You know that we need to treat your wounds to prevent the werewolf virus from infecting you…just forget about me. You need to get help for yourself!" Dean knew he was talking to a brick wall…when it came to protecting his back, Sam could be tenacious.

"Dean…don't worry. I don't think it was a werewolf…I hit it directly in the heart with a silver bullet and it just ran off. If it was a werewolf, it would have been killed." Sam tried to stand one more time, getting ready to make the long hike back to the cabin.

"Sammy…if it wasn't a werewolf, what was it?" Dean asked, now even more worried that Sam was alone, unprotected with an unknown supernatural being on the loose.

Sam sighed, he didn't want to worry his brother, but he knew that he needed to know, just in case Sam didn't make it back. "Dean…the eyes were yellow…we're dealing with some form of demon possession."

"Damn it Sammy…you get back to that cabin and stay there…I mean it. I will figure out a way out of this mess. I mean it Sammy….Sammy?" Dean kicked at the rock at his foot in aggravation. He knew that his kid brother was on his way back to the cabin and would return. Hell he would do the same thing if the situation was reversed. But Dean just couldn't stand not being able to protect his brother.

Knowing it would take some time for Sam to return, Dean found a dry area in the small cave and did the only thing he could do. He sat down with his back up against the wall and waited.

As he sat there trying not to notice the cold, Dean started to hum his favorite Metallica tune. The quiet of the cave and the woods surrounding it was unnerving. While the protector in him wanted Sam to stay in the cabin where he would be safe…part of Dean hoped that Sam would hurry back.

Sam groaned as he fell once again onto the forest floor. His head was swimming and his vision was beginning to get cloudy. He knew that he was losing blood, but he was afraid if he stopped, he wouldn't be getting up again. At least the sun was starting to come up. It made it easier for Sam to pick his way through the dense underbrush. He stood once more and started towards the cabin.

If he pushed, he should be able to get there within the next hour. That is if his body didn't give out on him. Sam thought about the wolf that attacked them. He now knew that it was possessed and by the color of the eyes, it appeared to be possession by some type of demon. That meant they would have to behead the animal to kill it. Guns were useless. What he couldn't figure out was why the wolf had run away.

Sam stopped and leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath. He smiled as he saw the cabin. Sam moved as quickly as his injuries would allow towards the cabin. Once inside, he took a moment to look at his injuries. He knew that if he didn't stop the bleeding and at least immobilize his arm, he would not be able to make it back to help Dean.

Grabbing the first aid kit, Sam quickly poured disinfectant on the open wounds, gritting his teeth against the pain. He wouldn't be able to splint his arm by himself, but he wrapped a bandage around the open wound. He made a make shift sling out of the bandages and immobilized his arm the best he could. Finally, he grabbed some water and downed some of the pain pills that they always kept on hand.

Next Sam went out to the Impala and opening the trunk he grabbed the rope and attached a machete around his waist. Sam looked up and was surprised that it was already getting to be close to noon. He had to hurry if he wanted to get there before nightfall. He knew that he wasn't in any shape to face the possessed animal.

As Sam started back into the woods, he felt a sharp pain in his head. Falling to his knees, Sam groaned. "Not now…please!" But before Sam could finish the sentence, he pitched forward, unconscious.

TBC

Raven524: Like it…hate it…don't want me to continue…just push the review button and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2 Rescued

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 2 – Rescued**

_Sam was in a clearing, watching as an old hunter was taking aim on a buck. He could see the excitement on the man's face as his finger began to pull on the trigger. Sam wanted to stop the man; he never understood the fascination of hunting for the sake of killing. But before he could say anything, the man yelled and was pulled backwards into the brush; the gun discharging harmlessly into the air._

_Sam watched as the buck turned to flee. He was glad the deer got away, but was concerned about what had happened to the hunter. Walking forward, Sam followed the trail. Soon he heard a thrashing sound ahead of him. Sam quickened his pace, running towards the sound. He watched in horror as the man burst out of the brush, a large bear following closely behind. The bear grabbed the man and knocked his to the ground. Sam watched helplessly as the bear tore the man to shreds right before his eyes. _

_Sam felt sick to his stomach, there was almost nothing left of the man by the time the bear finished. Realizing that he did not have a weapon, Sam began to back slowly back into the forest. Unfortunately the bear heard him and turning it's head towards Sam, it charged. Sam began to run, but once again the bear was too quick. Sam felt the claws hit him in the back. He rolled over trying to push the bear off of him, but the bear was too strong. Sam watched as the bear prepared to strike the fatal blow, he looked up and saw the bears eyes…they were yellow._

"NO!" Sam screamed as he jerked awake. It took a few moments for Sam to catch his breath, his head was pounding as he lurched forward, emptying his stomach into the nearby brush. Sam sat back, shaking his head. He could still feel the hot breath of the bear on his face. Looking fearfully into the woods, Sam couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on here than just a possessed wolf.

Sam groaned as he stood on unsteady legs. He had to get to Dean; he had to get him out of the cave before dark. Sam had a feeling that time was running out for both of them.

Dean woke with a start, his teeth chattering as the cold and dampness of the cave began to seep into his bones. Groaning, Dean stood up and began to pace within the small confines of the cave. He could tell by the amount of light that it was getting to be late in the day. Dean's worry about Sam was close to reaching panic. He figured that Sam should have been here by now. Any number of things could have happened to his brother. For all he knew, Sam could have been attacked again by the wolf.

"Damn it Sam!" Dean yelled, knowing that his brother couldn't hear him, but needing to break the silence. Dean once again looked at the walls of his prison. He still couldn't find any hand holds or see any way of him to climb out. Sitting down again, Dean hung his head. How could he protect Sam when he was down here in this stinking hole?

Dean once again examined the constant war within himself. He wanted his brother with him, he knew that Sam was an experienced hunter with skills to rival his own and yet his need to have his brother with him was always at war with his need to protect his younger brother. On days like this, he could feel himself being torn apart by the conflicting needs. He knew that Sam would never be happy to be kept on the sidelines…he had said so more than once. Dean also knew that Sam would never be safe on his own because of his special abilities…he was like a beacon to the supernatural element they hunted. Case in point, the wolf could have attacked him, but chose Sam instead…just once, he wished that he would be the one being sought. Dean sighed as he realized that there was not solution for his problem.

Once again, Dean looked up at the opening in the cave above, worried as he noticed that night would be falling again soon. Sam should have been back by now. "Sammy…Sam…damn it where are you?" Dean shook his head feeling foolish. As he turned to go back to his perch, he heard a very soft voice. "Dean?"

Sam had spent more time falling than walking. The pain from his wounds along with the lingering headache was draining his precious reserve of energy. By the time Sam reached the site of the cave, he didn't know if he would have the strength to pull his brother out. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. He secured one end of the rope to a nearby tree. Grabbing the rope, Sam moved towards the opening. He couldn't see Dean, but he thought he heard movement below…he called, but his voice was only a whisper.

Dean's head jerked up, he could see a dark shape in the opening above. "Sammy…it took you long enough…are you ok?" Dean could see that Sam was staggering as if he were drunk.

"M'kay…here is the rope, tie it around yourself and I'll haul you out of there. We need to hurry, it will be dark soon." Sam dropped the rope down to Dean and reaching with his good arm, got ready to help pull his brother to safety.

Dean grabbed the rope and looking up at his brother's sweat filled face, realized that Sam would not have the strength to pull him up. "Sammy…look, it's ok. I can climb the rope…do you hear me Sam…back away from the opening before…" Dean watched in horror as Sam took a step too close to the edge, Sam began to fall into the cave. He heard his brother's cry as he tried to catch himself, but couldn't due to his broken arm. "Sammy!" Dean yelled as he heard the sickening thud of his brother's body falling next to him.

Dean knelt beside Sam, trying to determine how badly his brother was hurt. He didn't like the heat he felt on his brother's skin…a sure sign of fever. Dean rolled Sam over and gently tapped him on the cheek. "Sammy, come on bro'…I need you to wake up for me. Can you hear me Sammy?"

Sam groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He could see the worried look on his brother's face. "How? Ah…where are we?" Sam asked as he tried to focus, he grimaced as he felt the new bruises on his already sore body.

"I told you to watch that first step!" Dean chided as he helped Sam sit up. He could tell his brother was in pretty bad shape. "So are you ready to get out of here?"

Sam shook his head "Yeah, Dean…we need to get back to the cabin…I think there are more possessed animals in the forest…we need to get under cover."

Dean looked at Sam and noticed that he was rubbing his temples. "Vision?"

"Yeah…but I think the poor guy in my vision is already dead…I think I may have seen it as it happened…but then I was…I don't know, but we have to get out of here Dean and right now!" Sam had a feeling that if they didn't get out soon, they wouldn't be getting out of here at all.

Dean knew that Sam was holding something back, but he would deal with that once he had gotten them to safety. "Ok, let me tie this rope around you. Then I'll climb up and haul you out of here…it might hurt a little Sam, but I can't see any other way to get you out." Dean placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

Dean quickly climbed out of the hole, thankful that Sam had had the presence of mind to tie the other end of the rope off before he fell. As he prepared to lift Sam from the hole, he felt a change in the air…something wasn't right. "Ok Sammy, hold on while I pull you out!"

Dean began to pull Sam from the cave, grunting as he felt the dead weight on the other end. He figured that Sam must have passed out again. In a way, that was probably a good thing as he knew that this would be causing his brother a great deal of pain. "Argh…Dude, you gotta loose a few pounds if you want me to keep pulling your ass out of these scrapes!" Dean pulled Sam to safety, gasping as the damage to his brother's body became more apparent in the waning daylight. "Aw Sammy…what have you done to yourself?" Dean gently picked his brother up in a fireman's carry and prepared to head back to the cabin.

As Dean turned, he stopped as he came face to face with a pair of yellow eyes.

TBC

Raven524: Sorry about the lag between chapters…unfortunately life intercedes. I hope you all like the newest chapter. Next update will probably be later today or tomorrow at the latest. Thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing so far.


	3. Chapter 3 Spirit Bear

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 3 – Spirit Bear**

Dean stood still as he looked into the yellow eyes of a pure white bear. The bear stared at him, but made no threatening move. Dean carefully lowered Sam to the ground. He noticed that Sam had a machete attached to his hip. Drawing the weapon, Dean stood between the bear and Sam. "I don't want to hurt you, but you are not going to get my brother!" Dean said quietly, feeling a little foolish talking to the animal.

The air was charged as man and beast both stared at each other. The forest was completely silent as if it was holding its breath. Dean stood still, waiting to see what the bear would do; wondering what would happen to Sam if he was killed by the bear. As the bear rose on it's hind legs, Dean prepared to defend, but he wasn't prepared for the bear to simply turn and walk away from him. He was further confused when he thought he heard a word whispered on the wind. _"Come"._ The eerie word caused a shiver to run up Dean's spine.

Dean was brought back to the present when he heard a soft moan behind him. "Dean?"

Sam was struggling to open his eyes. His body hurt and he felt like he was burning up alive, but he could feel that something was wrong. Opening his eyes, he saw Dean kneel down next to him, the machete in his hand. "Dean, what's wrong?" Sam asked as he tried to focus.

"Shhh, it's ok little brother, just a freaky polar bear…nothing to worry about." Dean was beginning to wonder if he was hallucinating…after all, what would a polar bear be doing in these woods? "Come on Sam, let's get you someplace where I can patch you up." Dean placed Sam's arm over his shoulders and helped Sam towards the cabin.

By the time the cabin came into view, Dean was carrying most of Sam's weight. He could tell that Sam was close to collapse. "Just a little further, then you can rest…that's it, stay with me Sam."

Dean helped Sam into the cabin and placed him on one of the beds in the room. Before he worked on Sam, though, he wanted to get a few more things from the Impala. He needed to make sure they were safe before he started to take care of Sam.

Dean worked quickly, salting the doors and windows as well as placing the various protective symbols around the cabin. Satisfied that anything supernatural would not be able to get inside the cabin, Dean turned to Sam.

Sam had been awake, watching as Dean protected the cabin from intruders. He wondered what had his brother so spooked. Of course, nothing on this hunt was going as planned. They had come prepared to fight a werewolf, only to find that the animals were possessed by something or someone. It could be a demon, but then it could be a number of other things as well. Until they figured out what they were dealing with, both brothers would be in danger.

Sam jerked back from his musings as he felt Dean gently cutting the bandage that he had placed on his broken arm. "Ow…hey man, take it easy!" Sam hissed as white hot pain shot up his arm.

"Sorry Dude, but I have to get all your wounds cleaned up and then set this arm. Next time, why don't you try throwing the doggie a stick instead of your arm?" Dean didn't like the look of the wound. It was red and swollen. He would need to lance the wound and set the arm before he could bandage it. Sam really should be in a hospital, but the nearest hospital was many hours away. Dean hated it when the hunt took them into such remote areas.

"Dean…any idea what we are up against?" Sam asked as he watched Dean prepare the medical supplies he would need to work on Sam.

"Not a clue…but I gotta tell you, one thing is for sure…it's not a werewolf or a shape shifter. The silver bullet would have taken care of it." Dean helped Sam sit up so that he could get his clothes off. Leaving Sam in just his boxers, Dean decided to take care of the claw marks on his brother's chest and legs first. He noticed some bruising around Sam's ribs, probably from his fall. Luckily though a little painful, nothing was broken.

"So Sammy, what was your vision about?" Dean asked casually, watching as his brother's face went a shade paler than before.

Sam swallowed, not sure that he wanted to tell Dean that he had in effect seen his own death at the paws of a bear. "I'll tell you, but first you need to tell me what spooked you out in the woods."

Dean looked at Sam quizzically, he had already told him but recognized the stalling tactic for what it was, decided to go along with it for now. "Well while you were taking a nap, I had a little discussion with a polar bear…nothing noteworthy." Dean smirked as he watched Sam's eyes open wider.

"Stop goofing around Dean, there are no polar bears in this part of the world. What did you see?" Sam said exasperatedly.

Dean wiped his hands as he finished cleaning the last of the claw marks. He wasn't looking forward to dealing with the arm, but it had to be done. Looking at Sam, he could tell his brother was struggling to stay awake. The fever and wounds had taken their toll on him. "Look Sam, it was a big white bear with yellow eyes. We kind of eyed each other and then it walked away…end of story. Now I need you take these pills before I start working on your arm…in case you pass out on me, ok?"

Sam took the pills and drank down the bottle of water that Dean gave to him. He wasn't looking forward to what was coming, but then he was sure that Dean would suffer more. "That's strange." Sam muttered as his eyes started to close. "The bear in my vision was brown…not white…" Sam lost his battle and fell unconscious.

Dean looked at his brother in concern; he had a vision about a brown bear…a brown bear doing what? Dean figured it was a conversation that would have to wait. He had given his brother a heavy dose of pain killers, hoping to knock his brother out before he had to lance and set the arm.

Dean shook his head as he prepared to repair Sam's arm. He just hoped that the infection in the arm could be stopped…he wouldn't accept that his brother might lose his arm.

**ooooooooo**

A low growl came from the white bear's mouth as it approached a secluded cabin in the woods. The being within the bear was seething with anger. How dare she call him back, he could have killed both of the hunters and eliminated the threat. He knew that they were not normal hunters, but were specifically hunting him. He would not stand for it…she would have to answer.

The white bear pushed the door open and entered, finding the object of it's anger calmly sitting at the small kitchen table. Sky blue eyes looked into the cold yellow eyes of the bear. "I've been expecting you."

**ooooooooo**

_Sam moaned as he tossed in his sleep, his mind reliving the attack from the wolf with yellow eyes. He could feel the claws tearing at his skin, the teeth tearing at his flesh. It was so hot, he couldn't stand it. His vision shifted as the wolf was replaced by the bear with yellow eyes. He could see his death in those eyes._

"No…Dean…Help!...the eyes…the eyes are going to kill me…please Dean, make it stop!" Sam cried as tears began to fall from his eyes.

Dean had been resting on the other bunk, but jumped up when he heard his brother's distressed cry. Sam's eyes were open, but they were unfocused and clouded with the fever raging in his brother's body. Dean grabbed the basin of cool water and began to wipe the sweat and tears from Sam's face. Reaching for the thermometer, he placed in Sam's mouth, praying that it would not be as high as he feared.

"Sammy…shhhhh…there's nothing here. You're safe…can you hear me…just rest, I won't let anything hurt you." Dean removed the thermometer and grimaced at the reading, 103.2. He had to get Sam's fever down and fast.

Dean went into the bathroom and filled the tub with cool water. He was glad that he had left Sam in his boxers, it would make this easier. Dean gently sat Sam up. "Come on little brother…bath time for you…complete with bubbles and your rubber ducky!" Dean placed Sam's good arm over his shoulder and maneuvered his brother into the tub.

Sam jerked as his hot skin hit the cool water. "Dean…ccooolldd…too cold!" Sam whispered as he struggled to get out of the tub. Dean held him down and began to pour the cool water over Sam's head. He was being careful to keep Sam's injured arm out of the water, but Sam continued to try to use the arm. "Sammy…just relax, you have a fever. Damn it stop trying to use that arm…do I have to tie you up!"

Sam stopped struggling and lay his head back. He would have fallen into the water if Dean hadn't been there to keep him above water. "That's it little brother, just relax. You'll feel better soon, I promise."

Sam's fevered gaze met Dean's worried one. "Dean…we have to help her…she doesn't realize…have to protect her from the spirit bear."

TBC

Raven524: Ok, so I'm posting another one today…hopefully that will make up for the time it took to get you chapter 2. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews…you all made my day!


	4. Chapter 4 Protector of the Woods

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 4 – Protector of the Woods**

_Sam's fevered gaze met Dean's worried one. "Dean…we have to help her…she doesn't realize…have to protect her from the spirit bear." _

Dean watched as Sam's eyes closed again. "Sammy?" Dean tried to get Sam to wake up…he figured that Sam had another vision/nightmare. "Sammy…who do we need to protect and what the hell is a spirit bear?" But Sam remained unconscious.

**ooooooooo**

The woman at the table calmly continued to sip the herbal tea she had poured before her partner had arrived. She knew that the creature she had bound to her was getting stronger as her powers diminished over time. In some ways, she hated that decision she had made to work with the beast, but with the constant assault on those she protected, she had needed help.

"I'm sorry, but you know that you can only kill those who are trying to harm one of my protected animals. I sense no malice in these two and in fact, I sensed a power within one of them that may rival my own. It may be useful to me."

The being within the white bear seethed. "How dare you! These two are hunters of the most dangerous kind…they hunt me you bitch. If you don't care about me, then what about yourself? Once they have killed me, they will come looking for you!"

"Don't worry; I am quite capable of taking care of myself. Your job is to protect my animals from those who would kill them for pleasure. If you are afraid of the other two, simply hide from them. I have given you the power to hide your tracks, so that you may not be followed. There is no need to kill them."

"I do not hide from my enemies…I kill them! I can feel your power over me weakening, soon you will no longer be able to control me and then I will be free to kill them all. You should have gotten rid of me when you had the chance all those years ago; because once I am free…I will make you suffer as I have done all these hundreds of years."

The woman stood and faced the beast, fire blazing from her crystal blue eyes. "Do not presume that I cannot still disburse your evil from this forest. I am through with you!" The woman closed her eyes and placing her hands on the great white bear, she smiled as the bear turned into a common rat. "Now vermin lets see how long you last without my protection. You now will not be able to kill, but rather will spend the rest of your time in these woods trying to evade your death…now go from my sight!"

The being within the rat refused to show its fear. It was bound to this new form until his captor decided to release him…or until his powers grew enough for him to break her bond. And he had a good idea where he might be able to get the very power he needed. She may have made her first and last mistake! The rat ran out of the cabin and headed out into the woods.

The woman sighed. She hoped that she would not regret her decision. She was growing tired and near the end of her time in this forest. Soon she would need to find someone to replace her. Until then, she may have to figure out another way to protect her animals from those who would kill them for pleasure. As she thought about the young men who this moment were resting in a cabin not far from her, she wondered at the power she had felt. Perhaps, she could bind a different being to her to help in her mission. As she thought of the young man, she smiled…it could be a very pleasant partnership in deed.

**oooooooo**

The rat hurried towards the cabin where he knew the two hunters were residing. He remembered the rush of power he had received when he had attacked the youngest one earlier. The demon within the rat was a lower level demon, but he was able to tap into the power of the young hunter as he tore into his flesh and tasted his blood. The blood of the young hunter had made him feel more powerful than he had in a long time.

If he could leach off a little more power from the young hunter, he would be able to leave this animal and merge with another, much larger animal. To break the power that the protector of the woods had over him, he would need much more…only the power released by the death of the young hunter would free him. But he would need to plan carefully. By changing him into this lesser form, she would not be able to sense his movements as easily. He knew that she could if she focused. But he was betting that she would not bother…she would regret her decision this day. But for now, he had to gather a few more friends to help him.

**ooooooooo**

Dean had gotten Sam back into bed and was in the process of checking the wound on Sam's arm. He had used an inflatable cast so that he could easily gain access to the wound. Luckily the break was just a simple fracture and would heal in time. But the wound still concerned Dean. "Ok Sammy…now that your fever is down a little, I want to take a quick look at this arm."

Dean stopped as he saw the pinched look on Sam's face. "Aw Sammy…you never get a break, do ya kid!" Dean knew the signs and prepared to help his brother the only way he could, he waited.

_Sam was walking up to a secluded cabin in the woods. He was amazed at how peaceful he felt as he approached. There was no fear, only a feeling of safety. As he approached the door, it was opened by a beautiful young girl with clear blue eyes. She smiled at him and motioned him to enter her home._

_Sam stopped as he saw his brother Dean sitting at the table, staring into nothing. "Dean…can you hear me…Dean!" Sam jumped as the girl beside him began speaking._

"_I've been expecting you Sam."_

"_How do you know my name?"_

"_I know many things about the beings that come within my woods. What I don't understand is why you would seek to hunt me…I feel your distaste for hunting, and yet you have the hunter's ways."_

"_I came looking for my brother. My brother and I do not hunt for the pleasure of hunting, but because we have to. The beings that we kill are those that would harm the innocents in the world…but why would you think that we are hunting you?"_

"_Ahhh…you come to rid the forest of the being responsible for the hunter's deaths…yes?"_

"_Yes, but that was a beast with yellow eyes…probably a demon. We do not want to hurt anyone else. We have to find the one who is killing the innocent hunters."_

"_Sam, I controlled the beast you speak of, but you need not worry, that evil has now been dealt with. Let me ask you a question. You hunt those who would harm the innocent, the helpless and yet you condone the slaughter of innocent animals for the sake of pleasure?"_

"_Well, no actually I don't…but those who hunt here are restricted by our laws to only take a few. They cannot just hunt whatever they want. In some cases, it is even necessary to maintain the balance of nature."_

"_In these woods, I protect the balance of nature. I need no help from human kind, only that they leave me and those I protect alone."_

"_What are you?"_

"_I am the protector of the forest, I believe the closest description you would have of me would be a sort of nymph. I was created to protect the animals of the forest when man became too greedy."_

"_But what do you need with my brother…what have you done to him?"_

"_He is well Sam, but he will no longer be able to protect you as he has done in the past…he will now help me!"_

_Sam watched in horror as his big brother rose from the table, the gun in his hand pointing at Sam's chest. He looked at the girl who smiled "You do not need to be harmed Sam, but I cannot allow your brother to leave…I need his power to continue my task. Leave now or I will have no choice…you will die."_

Sam's eyes opened as he felt his brother's soothing hands on his shoulders. "Sam, what is it, what's going on?" Dean watched as Sam tried to focus his eyes, but was not having much success. Words were forming, but none would get past his fevered lips. "Here Sam, take a sip of water and calm down…then you can tell me what has you so upset."

Sam drank the water. "Dean…need to get away now…before…before…she's after you!"

Sam's body continued to shake with the effort he had expended in trying to warn his brother. Before he could say anything more, he fell back into the blackness, unconscious once more.

TBC

Raven524: Here is today's latest installment…let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5 Visions Revealed

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 5 – Visions Revealed**

Dean carefully removed the inflatable cast. "Damn it Sammy…that's twice now that you've left me hanging here…we gotta get you fixed up so you can let me in on what's happening in that freaky brain of yours." Dean sucked in his breath as he saw that the wound was still badly infected. "Man Sammy, you're just not going to give me a break here are you."

Dean knew that he would need to clean the wound again and cauterize it in order to save the limb. He looked at his brother and shook his head. "This is another fine mess you've gotten yourself into!" Dean went to the fireplace and started to build a fire. He next started water to boil on the stove, he would use it to sanitize what he would need to clean and seal the wound.

Sam moaned as he struggled to open his eyes. His head felt like it was splitting open and the pain in his arm was almost unbearable. "Dean" Sam whispered

"I'm here Sammy…just take it easy bro'." Dean helped Sam sit up, noticing the sheen of sweat glistening on Sam's too pale face.

"Dean…I think I'm going to be sick" Sam struggled to keep the contents of his stomach from coming up.

"Hold on Sammy…you get sick in the bed and you're going to clean it!" Dean grabbed a bowl from the kitchen and held it while Sam emptied what little was left in his stomach. Dean patted Sam on the back, waiting for the heaving to stop. He murmured comforting words as he stroked his brother's back, feeling him relax as the last of the spasms hit.

Sam sat back on the bed feeling totally spent. "Sorry" he whispered as Dean gently wiped his face and helped him rinse his mouth.

"No problem." Dean watched as Sam continued to try to focus. He could tell that Sam was still having problems. He didn't know if he should question Sam now or wait…maybe Sam was just hallucinating because of the fever.

"Dean…we need to talk…I think I know what we are up against." Sam said quietly, running a shaky hand through his damp hair. "I've had a couple of visions or maybe they're nightmares, I can't tell. But the last one…well, it felt different…so I'm guessing it was definitely a vision."

Dean tried to make Sam more comfortable, pressing a bottle of water into Sam's hand and helping him to drink. "That's it Sam, just drink slowly. Now tell me about these visions of yours." Dean sat back and waited as Sam tried to sort out the visions in his mind.

"I don't know Dean…it's all kind of mixed up, I mean I saw a bear with yellow eyes, it…well it was trying to kill another hunter and then…" Sam looked away; he still felt a shiver when he saw the bear's eyes in his mind.

"Come on Sammy, spill it...all of it" Dean watched the emotions flowing across his brother's reflective face.

"I saw the bear with yellow eyes kill me Dean…I felt myself die!" Sam's breathing hitched in his throat as the horror of the vision was made real the moment he spoke it. He felt Dean grabbing him around the shoulders, but the shudders in his body wouldn't stop.

"Sammy…it's ok…you're safe. How many times do I have to tell you, nothing bad's gonna happen to you as long as I'm around?" Dean watched as Sam's tear filled eyes found his.

"But Dean, you weren't there…I was alone!" Sam could feel himself quivering like a child. He took a deep breath and tried to pull himself together. He didn't want Dean to think he was weak…acting like a small child who just woke from a nightmare. He was a grown man and would act like one.

Dean felt the change in Sam as he got his emotions under control. He patted Sam gently on the shoulder and wondered if he should press him for the rest. "Sam, can you tell me the rest?" Dean asked gently, deciding to leave it up to Sam.

"Yeah, the second one is all jumbled though…all I can remember is something about a white bear…a spirit bear, with yellow eyes. It wanted to kill her, but I don't know why…I just felt like we needed to protect her." Sam rubbed his aching temples as he tried to remember more of the dream, but nothing else would come.

"Well, the bear in the woods was white and it had yellow eyes…I'm betting it was mad at whatever stopped it from killing us…I could have sworn I heard…" Dean shook his head; maybe he didn't imagine it after all.

"What did you hear Dean?" Sam asked as he downed the rest of the bottle of water.

"I thought I heard a word floating on the wind…it was 'come'…nothing else." Dean watched as Sam's eyes were beginning to lose focus once more. Talking was taking a lot out of his brother.

"Look Sammy…we can talk about the rest of this later. The wound on your arm is still pretty badly infected. I'm afraid I need to clean it out and seal it…" Dean saw the resignation in his brother's eyes as he realized what was to come.

"Dean…we need to finish, I mean if this doesn't work…I might not be able to help you later." Sam swallowed as he thought about the pain to come. He quickly told Dean about his third vision, including the nymph and her plans for his brother. "Don't you see Dean, she is going to possess you and use you to help her do her job…I can't lose you Dean…I just can't do this on my own!" Sam grabbed at Dean's arm. "We need to get out of here today…before it's too late!"

"Sammy…listen to me…you are in no condition to go anywhere. We are both safe in the cabin, so you don't need to worry. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. Remember Sam, your visions don't always come true…in fact, we can use them to help us figure out a way to get rid of these supernatural freaks once and for all." Dean stood and placed the implements he would need to take care of Sam in the boiling water. He looked over and watched as Sam's face went a shade paler than before, but he could also see his brother gathering himself to endure it.

Dean handed Sam some more pills and helped him to take them. "These should help Sam, the pain pills should make you sleepy and the antibiotics will help with the infection…are you ready little brother?"

Sam nodded as Dean placed a clean washcloth in Sam's mouth. "Here, bite down on this. I'm going to wait just a few moments for the pills to take effect, and then I'll start. Don't worry, you'll be just fine." Dean watched as Sam's eyes closed again. Whether it was the pills or his injuries, he was thankful that Sam would not feel the worst of the pain.

Dean grabbed some rope from his pack and carefully tied Sam's good arm and legs to the bed. He didn't want Sam to move while he was doing his work. Looking again at his brother, Dean grit his teeth and carefully re-opened the wound, letting the blood and puss run out of the wound. Once he was sure it was clean, he took his knife and went to the fire place, letting the metal get hot, he returned and held it on the wound until the wound was sealed.

Sam arched off the bed when the hot metal hit his flesh…tears poured from his eyes that matched the tears falling from his brother's face as well. "I'm sorry Sammy…I wish there was another way!" Dean finished as quickly as he could; sighing with relief once the task was done. He patted Sam on the shoulder. "It's all done bro'…now you just need to do you part and heal. Just relax; I'll be here when you wake up!"

As Dean began his long vigil over his brother, he thought over what he had learned from Sam. Pulling out the computer and his father's journal, he figured he may as well spend the time learning as much as he could about nymphs. His eyes opened wider after he finished reading the first article on nymphs…"Great…just freakin great…how the hell do you kill a demi-god!"

**ooooooooo**

A pair of yellow eyes watched the cabin; frustrated when its attempts were blocked by the protective symbols…the demon realized he would have to come up with another plan to get into the cabin. Yes, he would come up with a plan and soon he would have his revenge on the Protector of the Woods, she would be sorry that she had messed with him….and so would the young hunter within the cabin.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6 Rats

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 6 – Rats!**

Dean rubbed his eyes as he closed his father's journal. He had spent the last couple of hours reading up on nymphs and still was no closer to a solution. Everything he read indicated that while the nymphs were not immortal, their life span was a long one, spanning many centuries. They were demi-gods created to protect and as such were neither good nor evil. But the real problem was there was no record of how to kill one.

Of course, Dean wasn't so sure any more that they should kill the nymph. According to folklore, if a nymph died without being replaced, the woods and everything in them would die. Dean could even understand the nymph's reaction to the hunters. He himself had killed innocents to save his brother and father. The killing of Meg and the other demon had been necessary to save his brother, but part of Dean still wished there had been an alternative. He understood the need to protect regardless of consequences.

Dean was yanked from his pondering when he heard a soft moan from his younger brother. "Sammy?" Dean asked as he walked over to the bed. He watched as his brother once again was struggling to wake up. He sighed as he gently washed the sweat from his brother's face and chest. If the fever continued to rise, Sammy would be in for another bubble bath.

"Dean?" Sam rasped, his throat parched from the fever burning within him. "Thirsty…can I have some water?" Sam finally managed to open his eyes. His arm still hurt, but it wasn't throbbing as much as before. He still felt hot and extremely tired…he just wanted to sleep. But something wasn't right…he could sense something coming. He needed to be alert.

"Sammy…here you go, just drink it slowly. You know you haven't eaten for a while…I heated up some chicken noodle soup…your favorite. Do you think you could eat some for me?" Dean watched as Sam struggled to stay awake.

"Dean…something's coming…I can feel it." Sam wished that these feelings were more specific, whatever it was could be coming in a moment or hours later…and it never gave him an idea of what…it was just so frustrating some times.

"Ok Sam, but I still want you to try to get some soup down. Just let me get some for you." Dean walked over and grabbed the shotgun he had by the door. He wanted to have it within arms reach, just in case.

Sam didn't miss Dean's actions and was grateful. Dean always seemed to have more confidence in Sam's abilities than he did…it always amazed him. He sighed as he once again realized how much he relied on his brother…not to just keep him safe, but to keep him sane in this insane situation.

"Here you go Sam; now I want you to eat all of this…you need to keep your strength up." Dean watched as Sam struggled with the spoon, his hand trembling so much that more fell off the spoon than stayed on. Without a word, Dean reached for the spoon and began to feed his brother.

"So, I did some research while you were taking your little nap." Dean started, trying to distract his brother from the fact that Dean had to do almost everything for him.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "No way…you actually read up on nymphs…you know looking at the pictures doesn't count as reading Dean." Sam smirked.

"Oooo…college boy…thinks he so smart…next time, I get to laze around in bed and you get to do the research geek boy!" Dean smiled; glad to hear his brother teasing him. It was a sure sign that Sam was getting better.

"So what did you find out?" Sam asked, putting his hand up to stop the food. He didn't think he could eat much more and keep it down.

"You're not going to like it…there is no way to kill it…besides, I was thinking that maybe we might have to find an alternative anyway." Dean proceeded to fill Sam in on what he had learned.

**ooooooooo**

The rat looked back at his brothers who had gathered at his bidding. They were now twenty to thirty strong and yet, if he couldn't get into the cabin, he would not be able to get to the boy. Suddenly he heard a low growl not far from them in the bushes. He ran towards the noise and smiled…he had found his battering ram.

**ooooooooo**

"So, basically, if we kill the nymph, we kill the forest and all the animals within it…Jeez Dean we can't kill her…maybe we can talk to her, reason with her." Sam winced as he moved, trying to get more comfortable.

"Sure, I'll just go knock on her door and ask her nicely to stop killing the hunters, who by the way just happen to be killing the very thing she protects." Dean shook his head, his brother sometimes amazed him.

"Dean…we don't have any alternatives here…either we try to get her to see reason, or we leave and let her continue. I don't like it any better than you…especially since she has her eyes set on getting you to help her." Sam groaned as he tried to put his legs over the side of the bed.

"Whoa there little brother…where do you think you are going?"

"Dean…I have to go to the bathroom…all those fluids you've been pouring into me have to come out some time!" Sam tried to stand, but fell back weakly onto the bed. He hated this…how could he help Dean if he couldn't even get to the bathroom by himself?

"No problem…just catch a ride on the Dean express, guaranteed to get you there on time!" Dean grinned as he saw Sam's eyes roll up.

Dean helped Sam back into the bed, noticing that the short trip had taken a lot out of his brother. Sam had leaned heavily on Dean on the return trip and was almost asleep before his head hit the pillow. Dean reached down to pull the covers up over his brother, making sure that the sling was sitting comfortably. "You just get some more rest Sam…we can figure out what to do once you are feeling better."

Just as Dean was heading back to his own bed to catch a few moments of shut eye, he heard a low growl outside the cabin door. Before he could react, he heard the sickening crunch of a large body hitting the door. Dean leapt out of bed and grabbed the shotgun as he watched the hinges give way. "Holy Shit! Dean yelled as he aimed at the large brown bear entering the cabin.

Sam's eyes popped open only to be met with his own nightmare standing before him. "Dean!" Sam yelled as he struggled to get up.

"Sammy! Stay where you are!" Dean yelled as he shot the gun at the bear. The rock salt was great for spirits, but unfortunately on the bear, it only made it madder. The bear launched itself at Dean with a loud roar. Dean ducked under the bear's gigantic claws and made a dash for the door, hoping the bear would follow him. But just to make sure, he shot the bear in the back with the second load of rock salt. "Come on Smokey…let's take this outside!" Dean yelled as he ran from the cabin towards the car.

Sam watched in horror as the brown bear took off after his brother. Looking around for a weapon, Sam spotted their weapons bag at the bottom of Dean's bed. Staggering over to the bag, Sam opened it and found the lighter fluid and lighter. Grabbing the old wooden table, Sam kicked at the leg, knocking it off. He grabbed the towel that Dean had been using on him and soaked it in the lighter fluid. He tied it to the end of the kitchen table leg and headed for the door.

Sam watched in horror as he saw Dean frantically ducking and rolling away from the giant bear's claws. Before Sam could move, he saw the bear catch Dean and fling him over the hood of the car, Dean's head hit the windshield with a loud crack, knocking him unconscious.

Sam yelled at the bear as he struggled down the steps. He was dizzy and felt like he was going to pass out at any moment, but he held on knowing that if he failed, both of them would be killed. "Leave him alone you over grown teddy bear!" Sam yelled as sat down on the bottom step and held the make shift torch with his knees, lit it. As the bear charged, Sam stood on unsteady legs and met his nightmare head on, swinging the fire as he walked towards the bear.

The bear reared, frightened by the fire. Sam carefully placed himself between his brother and the bear, swinging the torch. The bear advanced a few steps towards Sam, but Sam held his ground. "Shoo…get out of here…there's no free lunch today buddy!" Sam continue to yell, hoping the bear would give in soon…he was seeing dark spots in front of his eyes and knew that he would collapse any moment.

Just when Sam thought he was going to lose the contest, the bear shook its head and ran back into the forest. Sam wondered briefly what had caused the brown bear to attack. Normally brown bears avoided humans and would run unless they felt threatened. Shaking his head, he fell to his knees, dropping the torch into the dirt. Sam made sure that the flame went out by rubbing the torch in the dirt as he felt himself falling. Barely conscious, Sam rolled onto his back, trying to see Dean, but his breath caught in his throat when he saw a sea of brown rolling towards him. He struggled to sit up, but his body wouldn't let him, all he could do was watch as the army of rats covered his body and began to feed.

TBC

Raven524: Well I just gave Sam my worst night mare…I hate rats. Hope you all are enjoying the ride so far! And to Talon81, I guess I never thought about it, but it sure does suck to be Sam…Dean gets the girl and he gets rats (LMAO)…Thanks to all who have reviewed…I love it!


	7. Chapter 7 Captured

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 7 – Captured**

…_all he could do was watch as the army of rats covered his body and began to feed._

Sam tried to throw the animals off, screaming as he felt the bites on his body. He had never seen so many rats in his life. Sam continued to roll on the ground, but the rats followed him. As he began to lose consciousness, he felt a rat bite deeply into his shoulder, turning his head; he was shocked to see a pair of yellow eyes staring back at him.

Dean groaned, feeling the blood on the side of his face he knew that the bear must have caught him. He opened his eyes, searching for the bear, confused when he didn't see it. He came fully awake when he heard a soft moan below him. Moving as quickly as his sore head would allow him; Dean slid off the hood of the car and cringed when he saw his brother. "Oh my God…Sammy!" Dean yelled as he headed towards his brother.

"Rats…why did it have to be rats!" Dean grimaced as he waded into the surging brown mass covering his brother's body. Pulling his knife, Dean began to grab the vermin from his brother and killed them. Some of the rats tried to attack him, but he simply kicked them away. Dean could hear Sam's moans as the rats on him continued to bite. "Hold on Sammy…I'm here…ouch…Damn rats…I hate rats!" Dean continued to kick, throw and stab the rats until the last of the pack ran for the forest.

Sam opened his eyes and looked at his brother, concern showing on his face as he noticed the blood pouring down Dean's face. The bear had left its mark on his older brother. "Dean…you ok?" Sam asked as he struggled to sit up, only to fall back onto the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine…jeez Sam, the pied piper lead the rats away from the city…he didn't let them grab a snack along the way!" Dean could see Sam was struggling to stay awake. "Come on, lets get you inside and check out your newest set of wounds…if this keeps up, I'm gonna take out stock in a bandage company!" Dean helped Sam stand and placing his good arm over his shoulder, got him back into the cabin. He gently laid Sam on the bed and left to get the first aid supplies and some clean water.

"Dean…get them off…Oh God, I can't breathe…the eyes…their yellow…get them off!" Sam cried as he tossed on the bed, his eyes unfocused as he relived the nightmare. Sam's breathing became labored as his heart began to race. Dean realized that Sam was having a panic attack.

"Sammy!" Dean said quietly as he grabbed his brother's face in his hands, forcing him to look into his eyes. "You're safe, it's over. You need to calm down…listen to me, you need to slow your breathing down…that's it, you can do it." Dean watched as Sam's breathing began to slow and his heart returned to a normal rhythm. "That's my boy!" Dean said as he tried to get Sam into a more comfortable position on the bed.

"Damn it Sammy…why didn't you stay in here where you would have been safe!" Dean wondered if Sam realized he had been running around outside with just his briefs on…the thought of his brother taking on the bear left a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Ok Sammy, let's get you cleaned up."

Sam continued to stare into space, his eyes open, but unseeing. He moaned as Dean started to clean the wounds on his body. Dean couldn't believe the number of bites. It just reinforced his hatred of the little beasts. The fact that Sam was practically naked made the matter worse. There had been nothing to stop them from getting to his skin.

Dean cleaned each of the wounds with antiseptic and followed up with holy water just to make sure that there would be no surprises. Most of the wounds were shallow, but the wound on Sam's shoulder was deep and continued to bleed. It would need stitches. Dean finished as quickly as he could, worried as Sam's fever seemed to be rising again.

Dean went into the bathroom to prepare the bath just in case. He looked in the mirror and stopped to take care of the gash on his head. It looked like the bear just clipped him. He felt the lump on the back of his head and sighed. Luckily the windshield didn't break or he would have had more damage. Placing a butterfly bandage on his head, he swallowed a couple of aspirin and went out to survey the damage to the room and check on Sam.

Dean spent the rest of the day repairing the door, replacing the salt and protective symbols that were damaged and trying to get Sam's fever under control. His own body was crying for sleep, but he refused to give in. He need to make sure that Sam was back on the road to recovery first.

Dean had been dozing in the chair when he heard Sam cry out in his sleep. "Dean…gotta help…look out Dean! Bear…have to save Dean…Oh God, there are so many…yellow eye got me…have to warn Dean…" Sam continued to toss on the bed, the sweat pouring off his body. Dean placed the thermometer in Sam's ear and sighed when he saw that it was approaching 104 degrees.

Dean had to face facts, if he didn't get Sammy to an emergency room soon; his brother could stroke out or even worse die. Pulling out his phone, he cursed once again at the isolation of their location. He would have to load Sammy into the car and drive…it was the only way.

Dean jumped as he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder. "Perhaps I could help?"

A beautiful young woman was standing behind Dean. Her clear blue eyes, shining with concern as she looked at his younger brother. "Who are you? Better yet…how the hell did you get in here?" Dean knew the answer, but he wanted her to confirm it for him.

"You know who I am Dean. I am known as the Protector of the Forest. I sensed your need and decided it was time we met. If you will allow me, I can heal most of your brothers wounds, not all of them, but enough so that he will no longer be in danger."

"Why would you do that? Dean asked as he placed himself firmly between the nymph and his brother.

The nymph smiled as she recognized the power of protection emanating from the young man in front of her. She wondered if he even knew…it would be better for her if he was unaware of his power, it would be easier for her to control him later.

"It is not complicated; your brother was hurt due to my misjudgment. I should have disposed of the evil beast long ago, but I cannot undo what is done. However, I would like to help your brother. He does not deserve to suffer because of my mistake."

"So, you are going to heal him out of the goodness of your heart? Excuse me if I'm a little skeptical about your offer, but I'm still waiting to hear what's behind door number three!" Dean kept up the brave front, knowing deep down that there was probably nothing he could do to stop the woman from doing what she wanted.

Any further discussion was stopped when Dean noticed his worst fears coming true. Sam began to have a seizure, his body practically jumping off the bed. Dean turned his back on the nymph and gently rolled Sam over onto his side, holding him so that he would not hurt himself. He could feel the waves of heat rolling off his brother's body. For a brief moment, Dean forgot the nymph was there until he felt her hand on his shoulder.

Without another word, the nymph walked to the head of Sam's bed and placed her hands on his body; one hand laying on his head and the other covering his heart. Dean watched in amazement as a soft glow seemed to encompass his brother's body. Sam's seizure stopped as his body relaxed under the care of the nymph's healing powers.

A few moments later the nymph stepped back and fell to her knees. Dean moved to her side and helped her to a chair. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, it is just that I'm not as young as I used to be. My healing powers take a great deal of energy, as do most powers of the body and mind. Your brother's wounds are now healed, but his body will still need rest to fully recover." The nymph rose to her feet and turned towards Dean.

Dean stepped back, suddenly afraid of what the price would be for Sam's miracle cure. "I thought you only wanted to help…you've helped…now why don't you just fly on back to your home in the woods and leave my brother and me alone." Even though he was afraid, Dean still stood between the nymph and his brother.

"You misunderstand Dean, I was willing to wait until your brother was healed before coming for you…I need your help. I can no longer protect all of those who are under my care. I need someone to share the responsibility with me…you are that someone. But things have changed…I can no longer wait. You must come with me now Dean."

"Yeah right…so you think that I'm just going to abandon my brother and set up housekeeping with you. Sam will tell you, I'm not the white picket fence type. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks!" Dean stepped back as the nymph walked towards him.

"You have no choice in the matter Dean…your brother's needs are small compared to the needs of the many who are being injured in the forest…you will come with me now." Before Dean could stop her, she placed her hand on his head.

Dean felt himself falling away; suddenly he could no longer remember why he didn't want to go with her. In fact, he felt that his place was by her side. Without a backwards glance at Sam, Dean walked out the door into the late afternoon sun.

TBC

Raven524: Ok, the rats are gone for now…they're just a bad memory. Hope you like the newest chapter…next one will probably be tomorrow!


	8. Chapter 8 New Job

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 8 – New Job**

Deep in the forest, the demon rubbed his paws in glee. He could feel the power within him from the blood of the young hunter. He would be able to leave his lowly prison as soon as the right opportunity presented itself. The demon/rodent scurried along the forest floor, seeking out the one animal that would give him the power he needed. Suddenly the rodent smiled as it heard the animal roar nearby.

The demon would soon go from the bottom of the food chain to the most powerful creature in the woods…the mighty brown bear. The only problem was getting close enough to the bear for the transfer but avoid getting himself killed. The rat watched as the bear finished its evening meal. It wouldn't be long before the bear would head for its den. All he had to do was wait until the bear was asleep and the transfer would be complete. Then his revenge could begin, starting with the Protector of the Forest and then the young hunter!

**ooooooooo**

Sam groaned, slowly opening his eyes. The cabin was dark and cold, Sam shivered as he struggled to sit up on the bed. "Dean?" Sam called, wondering where his brother could have gone. Sam shook his head, trying to clear his head. "Dean…where are you?" Sam called again as he stood, stumbling against the table in the dark. Sam found the light switch and turned on the lights. A quick search confirmed what Sam already feared, his big brother was gone.

Sam sat heavily back on the bed, trying to figure out what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being buried in rats…shuddering at the memory, Sam looked down and was shocked to discover that most of the bite marks were gone. The ones remaining were almost healed along with his previous wounds. Sam carefully removed the inflatable cast, only to find the wound around the break had also healed. But the arm appeared to still be weak…the broken bone must not be totally healed.

Sam shook his head, fear building in him as he began to wonder how long he had been here. It would have taken at least a couple of weeks for his injuries to heal…but some instinct within Sam stopped that train of thought. There was no way that he had been here that long…something else had happened.

Shaking his head in frustration, Sam quickly grabbed some clean clothes from his bag and got dressed. He wanted to look outside, maybe Dean was just getting firewood. Grabbing the shotgun, Sam walked out onto the front porch of the cabin. "Dean…Dean are you out there?" Sam called once again, fear evident in his voice. Sam quickly covered the area surrounding the cabin, but there was still no sign of his brother.

Sam returned to the cabin and stoked the fire in the fireplace as he thought about where Dean could have gone. As he stared into the flames, the memory of one of his visions returned with haunting clarity. Sam knew where to find his brother…but how was he going to convince the nymph to release him?

Sam knew that it would be foolish to try to find the nymph's home in the dark. In his vision, he had seen the clearing where the cabin was located. He was pretty sure that he could find it come morning. In the meantime, he decided to find out everything he could on nymphs…opening up the computer, he got ready to spend the long night.

**ooooooooo**

Dean woke up with a start in a strange bed; _"Where the hell am I?"_ Dean thought as he looked around the cabin. Suddenly the events of the past few hours came rushing back to him. _"Sammy…I have to get back to him!"_ Dean jumped from the bed and started towards the front door. As his hand touched the knob, the door opened revealing the Protector of the Forest.

"What the hell did you do to me? Where is my brother?" Dean asked, furious that the nymph had left Sam alone and unprotected.

"I took over your conscious mind for a brief period. Just long enough for you to follow me here. You need not worry about your brother, as long as he is within these woods, he will be under my protection. Nothing would dare hurt him. Besides, all he needs now is rest and he will fully recover."

"You just don't get it do you? Taking care of Sam is not _your job_…_it's mine_ and nobody is going to take it from me. Now step aside, I'm leaving!" Dean once again started towards the door, only to find the door held shut. He pulled with all his strength, but the door wouldn't budge.

"So, are you hungry Dean? I have prepared some food for you…I don't normally indulge in eating, but I admit that I do like drinking my special herbal tea…it soothes me." The nymph continued as if Dean hadn't just tried to escape. Dean turned and tried to get his anger under control. Obviously he wasn't going anywhere until the nymph decided to let him.

"Look, you can't expect me to just leave Sam. We are a team, but more importantly, we are family. Why in the world would you want to keep me here?" Dean sat down at the table and looked at the salad the nymph had prepared. _"Great, and the hits just keep coming!"_ Dean thought as he looked down at the glorified rabbit food in front of him.

"Dean, I explained this to you back at the cabin. I need someone to help me protect the animals under my care. "

"Animals? This is about protecting animals…from what?" Dean sat back astonished.

"When I was first created, the woods were teaming with life. As the centuries passed, I have watched as man has hunted and killed those under my care. I allowed the hunting at first, because I understood that some animals were killed so that men could provide food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families. In those days, men only took what they needed. But as time moved on, men began to hunt for profit and pleasure. This I cannot allow to continue."

"So, you're telling me that you expect me to stop hunters from killing your little furry friends? You've gotta be kiddin me! You are the one that is responsible for the deaths of those innocent hunters!" Dean couldn't believe that this being was putting animal life above the value of human life.

"It was not my intention to harm anyone Dean. Unfortunately, as time has passed my powers continue to weaken. So when the demon entered my forest looking to destroy everything in his path, I decided to use his powers to do good. I bound him to an animal form and instructed him to scare off the hunters. At first it worked, but as my powers have dwindled, his powers seem to have grown with each kill. I could not stop him from killing the others and to be honest, I felt they deserved death. But when the demon attacked you and your brother, I knew that he had to be stopped. He is no longer a threat. But now I must have someone to replace him…someone whose protective powers can rival my own…I sense that power within you Dean."

Dean smirked, "You got the wrong brother lady…my kid brother is the one with the powers, I'm just plain old me."

The nymph looked strangely at Dean. "How could you not know of your great power? You have the heart of the protector Dean, your strength comes from this power. If you stay with me, I will show you how to unleash it. Together you and I can stop the killing on both sides."

Dean looked up at the nymph, trying to figure out if she was just crazy or if there was any truth to her words. He shook his head, what would Sammy think if he found out that he wasn't the only one with freaky powers in the family? But in the end, it did not change anything…Dean could not do what the nymph wanted, he already had a job and he had no intention of resigning.

Suddenly the Protector of the Forest rose from her chair. Her eyes were blank as if she was seeing something far away. Dean jumped as the nymph cried out. "No! This cannot be…you will stop what you are doing! You cannot kill them, they have done nothing to you…stop now or I will destroy you!"

Dean figured that the nymph was talking to someone else, but there wasn't anyone else around. _"Man, crazy doesn't seem to cover it with this one!"_ Dean mumbled under his breath as he headed for the door once more…maybe while she was distracted, he could sneak outside.

Dean's hand touched the door knob, but he never managed to get any further as he felt himself slipping away again. The nymph shook her head sadly as she watched Dean's body walk stiffly over to the chair, sit down and begin to eat. She was hoping she would not have to control Dean, but it appeared that she had no choice. "I'm sorry Dean, but I can't let you leave. Especially since the demon has managed somehow to escape the fate I set for him."

Once again the nymph reached out with her mind, trying to control the possessed bear. "You will listen to me or you will be destroyed demon!"

"_Hah…hollow words from a soon to be gone goddess. I can feel you weaken even now as you try to control the human and me. I told you once that you would suffer, and so you will. I will kill as many of your animal friends as I can find…you will regret the day that you bound me to you!"_

Meanwhile in a cabin not too far away, Sam moaned in his sleep as he heard the roar of the brown bear close by. He could hear the bear with yellow eyes in his head. _"Soon all your powers will be mine!"_

"Dean!" Sam cried in his sleep, hoping that his brother would wake him from his nightmare…but no one came.

TBC

Raven524: Here is the latest chapter. Let me know what you think…like, hate…just drop me a line!


	9. Chapter 9 Finding Dean

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 9 – Finding Dean**

Sam woke with a start, rubbing his temples as the headache from his newest nightmare remained. He must have dozed off while doing research; his back ached from sleeping with his head on the table all night. Rising from the chair, Sam stretched and noticed that it was almost dawn. Soon he would begin the search for his brother. But first, he needed to get his things ready.

As dawn broke over the trees, Sam exited the cabin and began to search the area for any sign of Dean's direction. An experienced tracker thanks to the hours spent with his father and brother on various hunts, Sam soon found Dean's trail. Luckily, Dean was not making any attempts to hide his trail; otherwise Sam would not have been able to follow him.

As Sam walked, he mentally reviewed what he knew about the nymph. The nymph was not immortal, but rather had a very long life span. Unfortunately, there was no known way to kill the nymph, but she also was not all powerful. According to what Sam found, she was able to control you on a temporary basis by using some type of mind control. But the power to maintain this control would drain her powers considerably if used for a long period of time. She could however bind the person to her by transforming him into an animal form. While in the animal form, the being would be under her control. Sam figured that was how she had been able to control the demon.

The person would remain trapped in the animal form until the nymph decided to release them, or until their death. Sam walked faster as he thought about his brother being transformed…he only hoped that he wasn't too late already. Sam reached the cabin in his vision by mid morning. He did not sense any danger and felt safe, just as he had in his vision.

Sam went to the door and was not surprised when it opened to reveal the nymph. "Hi Sam, I've been expecting you."

Sam sighed as he entered the cabin, already knowing what he would find. He also knew that his previous arguments had failed to sway the nymph. Sam glanced at Dean sitting calmly at the table. There was no recognition his brother's eyes.

Sam looked at the nymph and decided to try a different approach. "I understand why you feel you need my brother to help you. But what I don't understand is why him? Look, if you let him go, I will stay and help you voluntarily…surely I would be better than Dean, _he is what you are trying to kill_…he is a true hunter at heart."

The nymph looked at Sam and smiled. "You have a noble heart Sam. But you know so little about your brother. Yes, I know that he is a hunter, but his heart is not the heart of the hunter, but rather the heart of the protector. His strength comes from his power to protect. It is this power that will serve my needs, I will teach him to use his power if he will let me. But if not, then he will serve me as the other did before…in the form of one of my animals."

"You say he has a special power to protect, but in order for his power to be effective, he must choose to use his power. You can't just tap into it and use if for something that Dean doesn't care about…you may be able to control his actions, but you cannot control his heart!"

"I don't have time to deal with you right now Sam, I have bigger problems. You have a choice, you can either leave here alive or you can forfeit your life!" The nymph looked at Dean who slowly stood and faced Sam. Luckily Sam knew what to expect and had come prepared. Before Dean could pull the gun, Sam tackled his brother. "Dean…Dean…I know you are still in there. You have to fight her Dean, please I need you!"

Dean blinked for a moment, his green eyes looking up into Sam's brown ones with a trace of fear. "Sam?" Dean said as he shook his head. "Get off me…what the hell?" Then he remembered, he was at the home of the nymph and if Sam was here, that meant Sam was in trouble. Before Sam could move, Dean shoved him off and stood glaring at the nymph.

"You will not hurt my brother!" Dean said as he placed himself between the nymph and Sam.

The nymph closed her eyes and tried to gain control once more, but was astonished when Dean continued to defy her. This was not possible…no one could resist her mind control. "Dean, I told you before, Sam will not be harmed and I meant it. But we have work to do and he must leave here. Please, I need you help."

Dean could sense the nymph's powers fading, he had felt her attempt to gain control, but somehow he had managed to block it. Deciding that he didn't want to take time to figure it out, Dean motioned to Sam to exit out the door. "Go Sam, I'll be right behind you!"

Sam moved towards the door, keeping an eye on the nymph. Dean began to back towards the door when the nymph calmly walked towards him. "Stay back…I don't want to hurt you!" Dean cried as he turned to run out the door. But he wasn't fast enough, before he reached the door; the nymph had grabbed his arm. Dean felt a sharp pain and cried out, his eyes widening in fear.

"Dean…NO!" Sam yelled as he watched in horror. In the spot where his brother once stood, he could see a large grey wolf…a wolf with hazel green eyes! Sam stepped towards the wolf, but stopped as he heard the low growl coming from the animal's throat.

"Kill him" the nymph ordered. She now realized that in order for her to control Dean's powers, she would first have to get rid of the one that he protected…she needed to get rid of Sam.

"Dean…Oh God, Dean…" Sam gasped as the gray wolf jumped on him and knocked him to the ground. A flashback of the previous fight flashed before Sam's eyes. Once again he put his arm up to defend himself. The wolf bared his teeth and looked at Sam. Sam could swear that he saw the confusion in the wolf's eyes just before it leapt off Sam and ran into the woods.

The nymph ignored Sam as she drifted off into the forest after Dean. She could feel Dean's anguish and desperation as he fled. She had to get to him; she had to try to get him under her control. She would take care of Sam later.

Dean's mind was on fire. His mind was refusing to accept the change in his physical body. This couldn't be happening; it had to be some kind of trick. Dean continued to run; his only thought was to get away from the one who had done this to him. For the first time in his life, Dean gave into the fear.

He wasn't sure why, but he could sense the nymph following him. He could hear her calling to him in his mind. _"Dean…stop, please! I had no choice; you must stop before you get hurt!"_

Dean shook his head, he didn't believe her. She had said that Sam would be safe, and yet she had ordered him to kill his own brother.

**ooooooooo**

Sam got shakily to his feet and started to follow his brother into the woods. He had to get to Dean before something bad happened. He wasn't sure why, but Sam felt that time was running out for both of them. He quickened his pace, hoping that he could get to Dean before the nymph.

**ooooooooo**

"_Oh God, Sammy!"_ Dean screamed in his mind. How was he going to protect his brother now? Once again he had failed him. Dean slowed, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn't keep running forever, he had to try to come up with a plan. Dean ran into a clearing and stopped just outside the tree line. He smelled the air and was satisfied that he was alone, at least for the moment.

Dean remembered reading that only the nymph could change him back into human form. So, he had to somehow trick or talk her into changing him back. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he had to find a way…he had to or else Sam would be unprotected and that was something that Dean would not allow to happen.

Decision made, Dean turned to go back into the woods. He knew that she would find him soon. He could sense her coming as he heard her voice once more. _"Dean, stay where you are…you are in danger!"_ Dean sniffed the wind once more, but did not sense any danger. He continued to walk towards where he felt the nymph was coming form. As he moved forward, he suddenly heard a branch crack off to his left.

Turning his head, he saw the end of the rifle pointing directly at him. Dean leapt forward, but even he could not outrun a bullet…the last thing Dean felt was the pain as the bullet hit.

TBC

Raven524: Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story. I really appreciate the comments…please keep them coming!


	10. Chapter 10 Lone Wolf

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 10 – Lone Wolf**

The nymph screamed in frustration. She knew that she had to be close; she had sensed the hunter and knew that he would be a danger to Dean. Dean must have been hurt, because she had lost contact with him. For the first time in her long life, she began to wonder if she was doing the right thing. She had always done whatever was necessary for her to protect those in her care. That is what she was created to do…and yet, perhaps there was something more important than her task.

She shook her head, now was not the time to be second guessing her decisions. She had to find Dean and quickly before it was too late. Once she found him, there would be time to re-evaluate her decision to use Dean.

**ooooooooo**

The hunter moved cautiously through the woods, heading for the spot where he had seen the wolf fall. Another trophy for his collection…the hunter smiled, of course he would have to hide it from the law, shooting wolves in this area of the country was illegal. But that didn't bother the man. He enjoyed the hunt and the feeling of power that went along with it.

As the hunter approached the spot, he stopped and kicked at the dirt in frustration. The wolf had gotten away! Bending down to examine the ground closer, he smiled again…he found blood which meant that the wolf was wounded. He would just have to track him down and finish the job.

**ooooooooo**

Dean had come to shortly after he had fallen, a burning pain in his shoulder where the bullet had grazed him. He decided that he needed to get out of here before the idiot with the gun came looking for him. He felt anger towards the man; for the first time, he could understand the nymph's anger. This hunter had broken the law and deserved to be punished…but Dean still did not believe in his heart that the punishment should be death.

Dean noticed that he was leaving a bloody trail. The hunter in him knew that he had to find a way to disguise his trail. He knew exactly what he needed to do, he headed for the small stream that he remembered seeing on the map. Dean's limp became more pronounced and he started to feel dizzy, probably from the loss of blood. He sighed with relief when he reached the stream.

Dean walked into the shallow stream and began moving upstream. He knew that the hunter would not be able to follow his tracks. He was also hoping that the cold water would help staunch the blood flowing from the wound. _"Man, I never realized before how useful hands could be!"_ Dean thought as he tried to figure out a way to take care of the wound. Growling in frustration, Dean continued to walk in the stream until he felt like he couldn't go on any longer.

Leaving the stream, Dean realized that he would need to find shelter. Looking around, he saw what looked like a small cave at the base of a rocky incline. Once again, he smelled the air to check for any threat in the area. Sensing none, Dean walked into the small cave, curled up and closed his eyes.

**oooooooo**

Sam continued to follow Dean's trail. The only problem was that Sam wasn't sure what he would do when he found his brother. He had to believe that somewhere inside the wolf; his brother still existed and would remember him. Sam's head snapped up as he heard a gun shot in the distance. "Dean!" yelled Sam as he began to run towards the sound.

A short time later, Sam came upon the area that he had heard the gunshot from. He didn't see any sign of his brother or the source of the gunshot. As Sam entered the clearing, he found his brother's trail heading back into the forest. Following the trail once more, Sam stopped when he saw signs of a wounded animal. The blood had to be from the wolf…which meant that Dean was hurt. "Oh God Dean…I don't know what to do!" Sam muttered as he started to follow the trail once more. His concern grew as he noticed a set of human prints following the same trail.

As Sam continued on the trail, he wondered briefly what had happened to the nymph. It was obvious that she had not been able to control Dean…Sam wondered why his brother was able to resist when a demon had not been able to do the same thing. He would need to find the nymph and try again to convince her to restore Dean; he just hoped that she would have the power to reverse the transformation.

Sam jumped as the object of his musings suddenly appeared in front of him. "Hello Sam, I've been waiting or you."

"Where is Dean?" Sam asked, stepping back from her. He didn't want to be transformed like Dean had been.

"I'm sorry Sam, but I can't sense your brother any more. I felt him for a brief time, but he must either be unconscious or dead. I tried to warn him of the danger, but he would not listen to me. I don't understand why he wouldn't listen." The nymph sat down on a nearby log, shaking her head as if this was something she had never experienced before.

"Has anyone else ever been able to resist your mind control?" Sam asked as he continued to scan the area for signs of his brother…Dean couldn't be dead…he had to be lying somewhere injured. If Dean was dead, Sam would know it...he would feel it.

"Not until recently. The demon that I had under my control found a way to block my control for short periods of time. When I felt that he was getting out of hand, I transformed him into a lowly rat…I assumed that he would be no further danger to anyone in that form."

"Believe me, he was able to still gather an army of his buddies and attack me and my brother. You can't just kill a demon by killing the body it inhabits…for lower level demons, you have to behead them and then burn the remains. Otherwise, the demon can just move on to another form."

"How do you know this?" The nymph asked, taking a closer look at the young man standing in front of her.

"Let's just say that it's the family business…my brother and I hunt demons and other creatures that would harm others. Believe me, you shouldn't mess with demons…even lower level ones like this one can be dangerous. They only live to kill and create havoc and they don't care who gets in their way. "

"And how do you see me Sam…am I one of these creatures that you and your brother destroy?"

Sam looked at the nymph, trying to decide the best way to answer this question. He decided that it would be best to be honest with her. "Dean and I came here to find out why hunters were being killed. At first, we thought it was a werewolf causing the problem. But when I was attached by the possessed wolf, we figured that it was a demon creating the problem. To be honest, I'm not quite sure what to think of you. I know that you are neither good nor evil, you were created to do a job…but that job is causing the death of innocent people…we just want to stop the killing."

"I admit that my original intension was not to kill those who hunted. But I can't condone the senseless slaughter of those who live under my protection. Give me another option Sam and I would be happy to stop the killing…on both sides."

Sam sighed as he decided to give the nymph the benefit of the doubt. He sat next to her on the log and considered her request. It was a difficult problem and Sam wasn't sure he was the one to solve it.

"You said before that you understood the need for men to kill for the purpose of survival. Years ago, our ancestors had to kill more of your animals than they do today. Yes, we still hunt but there are laws that were made to protect your animals. Some animals can never be hunted, such as the wolf and the bear. But even with the others, there are limits as to the number that can be killed. I realize it is not a perfect solution, but it is the best we can offer for now."

"And what of those who do not follow your laws…what if I were to tell you that your brother was shot by a hunter who even now continues to search for him. Would you kill this man to protect your brother?"

"Only if there was no other alternative. I would first try to stop him and then turn him over to the police…it is not my job to judge this man or to determine his fate. But if there were no other way, then I would kill him." Sam wasn't sure that the nymph would be able to understand the subtle differences between killing only when there was no other choice. She appeared to see things in simple black and white...her animals were in danger, so she killed. It accomplished the job and she had probably never seen any reason to look for another alternative.

"I think I understand what you are trying to say Sam, but I'm not sure that I understand how this will help me protect those who are under my care. I will consider what you have said, but now we must move…we must try to find your brother before it is too late."

Sam stood and followed the nymph as she headed upstream.

TBC

Raven524: Here is the next chapter…hope you all enjoy it!


	11. Chapter 11 Bear Attack

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 11 – Bear Attack**

Sam followed the nymph as she moved through the forest. Neither one of them had spoken since they had started to search for Dean. Sam hoped that meant that the nymph was thinking about what he had said. Suddenly the nymph stopped and looked in the opposite direction.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Sam asked fearfully, almost afraid to hear what she had seen.

"I must go, the demon is attacking a herd of deer nearby…I must stop him before he does more damage!" The nymph started heading away from Sam.

"WAIT!" Sam yelled. He knew that the nymph was the only one who could restore Dean. If he was right, every time the nymph used her powers, she became weaker. He couldn't explain it, but he had the feeling that if the nymph took on the demon, she would not be able to save his brother or even worse she could die. Sam knew that if the nymph died, everything within the forest would also die.

"Sam, there isn't time…I must go stop him before he kills again. Your brother is near here, I can sense him close by…he is hurt, but he is alive. I will return after I have taken care of the demon once and for all."

"No, please…listen to me! You can't go up against the demon; that is what he wants…he wants to destroy you. He is killing the animals to draw you to him. Look…you told me that you felt him getting stronger…if he has been able to switch into another body, his powers must have increased to allow him to break your hold over him. You will not be able to control him." Sam watched as the nymph accepted the truth of his words.

"That may be true, but it is my fate to do whatever is necessary to keep those under my protection safe. If it causes my destruction, then so be it. I am responsible for this monster, and I must be the one to destroy it." Once again the nymph could not see any other resolution.

Sam walked over to her and placed his hand on her arm. "Remember when we talked about alternatives…well you have an alternative here. I am a hunter…I know how to kill the demon. Look, I will make you a bargain; you find my brother and restore him. I will find the demon and do my best to destroy him."

"You would do this for me? Why?"

"I'm not just doing it for you; I am doing it to save my brother and to save all that would be destroyed if you should be killed." Sam was glad that he had grabbed his backpack when he left the nymphs cabin. All that he needed to fight the demon was contained within it…he hoped.

"You did not ask me to release your brother, only to restore him. I don't understand. Your goal was to set your brother free, but you would allow him to remain under my control in human form?" The nymph was having trouble understanding the young man in front of her. Yet, she sensed his sincerity…there was no underlying deceit.

"I am giving you a choice and trust you to make the right decision. Besides, we both know that I can't make you release him. I am hoping that you will think about what we have talked about and realize that Dean is not the solution you are looking for….do we have a deal?" Sam realized that he was taking a big risk, but also didn't see any other choice.

"Yes, I will do as you ask…but you must be careful, the demon has possessed the great brown bear. I no longer am able to control the beast from this distance, he will seek to kill you and I will not be able to help." The nymph was sure that Sam would change his mind. After all, it really wasn't his fight.

"Don't worry…I've got a plan…just point me in the right direction." Sam listened as the nymph gave him directions on where he would find the demon. Without a backwards glance, Sam left and headed back into the woods. He hoped that his fear hadn't communicated itself to the nymph…as soon as she said the words 'brown bear', Sam's vision came crashing back. The same bear that had killed him in his vision.

**ooooooooo**

Dean slowly opened his eyes, hoping that the past few hours had just been a nightmare. Unfortunately, the pain in his shoulder and the furry paws that his head currently laid on confirmed that it was definitely not a dream. Dean stood on unsteady feet as he moved outside of the small cave. He felt cold and weak, probably from the loss of blood. Looking at his shoulder, he could see that the wound had crusted over, but from the pain and fever he felt going through his body, he figured that infection had set in.

But through the haze and pain, only one thought remained. _"I have to get to Sam…need to protect Sam!"_

Dean stumbled through the forest, limping badly on the injured leg. He knew that he had to find the nymph and somehow convince her to return him to normal…"_Huh, normal…now that's funny!"_ Dean shook his head, nothing about his whole life could be considered 'normal'. How was he going to explain this to his Dad? _"Hey Dad, a funny thing happened on my way to killing a werewolf…"_

Dean stumbled again, panting as the fever began to take tighter hold on his body and mind. As a small rodent came too close, Dean's jaws snapped and ate the mouse in one gulp. _"Now that's definitely better than rabbit food…what the hell am I saying!"_ Dean's mind was still rebelling against the thought that he was in fact a wolf. Getting up once more, Dean's head snapped up as he heard a gun shot in the distance.

"_Sammy!"_ Dean screamed in his mind. He didn't know how he knew, but he sensed that Sam was in trouble. _"I'm coming Sammy…please be ok…you have to be!"_ Dean took off at a slow run, hindered by his injury. He wasn't sure what he could do in this form, but he would figure out something when he got there.

**ooooooooo**

Sam walked cautiously through the woods, knowing from his vision that the hunter had to be somewhere close by. He could still feel the anger running through his veins when he thought about what the hunter had done to his brother. But he would still try to stop the man before he got himself killed. Sam knew that the rifle would slow the animal down, but would not kill it. In fact, the hunter was likely to just make the demon/bear mad.

Sam's thoughts wandered to his brother. He hoped that he hadn't misjudged the nymph, but something told him that she would carry through with her promise. He was worried about his brother, he knew that he was hurt somewhere and probably needed him. But Sam knew that as long as the demon was around, both of them would be in danger. "Dean, I wish you were here." Sam thought as he moved on towards the clearing described to him by the nymph.

Once again, Sam watched in horror as the hunter took aim at the great bear. Before Sam could move, the bear saw the hunter and charged. "Run!" Sam shouted as he pulled his own rifle forward.

The hunter looked over at the young man running in his direction. He couldn't be caught, he couldn't leave any witnesses behind. He made his decision in a split second, turning his rifle from the bear, he aimed at the young man and fired. As he saw the young man fall, he returned his attention to the bear. Taking aim once more, he fired and hit the bear in the heart. Smiling as he saw the bear stumble and fall to the ground…the hunter walked towards the bear. "Well, this would make him more money than the wolf he lost…all in all a good day's hunt!"

The hunter kicked at the bear as he raised his weapon once more. But before the hunter could pull the trigger, the bear leapt to its feet and knocked the weapon from his hands. The last thing the hunter saw was the jaws of the great bear clamping down on his throat.

Sam struggled to his feet just in time to see the bear shredding what remained of the hunter. He felt the burning in his side where the bullet had entered. As he watched the bear, he reached into his pack and pulled out the machete and holy water. He attached the machete to his waist and placed the holy water into his pocket. He checked the rifle to make sure that it was loaded with the consecrated rounds and then walked towards the bear.

Sam realized that his plan was probably lame, but it was the best he could come up with on short notice. He was going to shoot the bear and then hopefully before it could recover, he would decapitate it. The holy water was there just in case the bear got close to him; hopefully it would deter the bear should things get too close.

The bear sensed Sam and turned, licking its lips as it realized his prize was close at hand. Once he killed the young hunter and fed on his body, he would powerful enough to go wherever he chose and kill whatever he wanted to kill. He saw the gun, but laughed…it would not stop him.

Sam knew he had to get close enough to the bear so that he could reach it right after he shot it. His mind was getting fuzzy from the loss of blood and his reactions were getting slower. "Damn it, I can do this…I must do this to save Dean!" Sam mentally kicked himself again for being weak. He had seen Dean take on a poltergeist with a knife wound that would have stopped most people…he was always amazed at how much pain his brother could endure. Funny, he had just taken Dean's fortitude for granted until now…maybe the nymph had something, maybe Dean had a special power of his own.

Sam's musings were disturbed by the roar of the bear as it charged at him. Raising the rifle, Sam took aim and fired. Unfortunately, the shot went high, only hitting the bear in the shoulder. "Shit!" Sam cried as he turned to run back towards the woods. He only got a few feet when he felt the bear's claws hit him in the back. Sam flew forward, landing on his knees, he rolled to face his attacker. Sam threw his arms in front of his face, trying to protect himself, he screamed as the bear's claws continued to rip into his flesh. The battle continued for a brief moment as Sam tried to push the bear off of him, but in the end Sam felt himself pinned beneath the massive paws.

He saw his death in the yellow eyes of the bear as his world went mercifully black.

TBC

Raven524: Sorry for the delay again folks, but I still haven't figured out how to add hours to the day…if anyone out there figures it out…let me know!


	12. Chapter 12 Final Goodbye

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 12 – Final Goodbye**

Dean ran as fast as his body would let him towards the sound of the gun shots. He had heard more shots as well as the angry growl of a bear. As Dean ran, Sam's vision flashed through his mind. _"Oh God, Sam…please let this vision be a nightmare!" _

As Dean got closer to the clearing he almost stumbled as the scent of blood hit him. He picked up speed, forgetting about his own injuries as his need to get to Sam increased with each step. Dean stopped as he entered the clearing, his mind refusing to believe what he saw. In front of him were the remains of the hunter that had shot him earlier; or what was left of him…it was hard to tell from the shredded remains.

Dean growled as his eyes moved towards the bear's latest victim_…"Sammy!"_

Without stopping to think, Dean launched himself towards the bear; his only thought to stop the bear from hurting his brother any worse than he had already. Dean locked his jaws around the neck of the bear and hung on as the bear tried to reach him. Dean knew if the bear got him under his paws that would be the end of it. As the bear bucked and heaved Dean off of it, Dean regrouped and continued to attack.

Sam opened his eyes slowly; he figured from the pain in his body that he must still be alive. Hearing the bear close by, he looked in amazement at the gray wolf that was attacking the bear. "Dean" Sam whispered as he watched the wolf continually place himself between Sam and the bear. Sam knew that Dean was no match for the bear…he had to do something before it was too late.

Sam saw the rifle laying a few feet from him. He crawled over to the rifle and reaching into his pocket, pulled out another round and loaded it. He knew that he would only get one more shot at this. Gathering his strength, Sam stood and faced the demon bear once more; he took aim and fired. The bear roared and fell to the ground as the bullet pierced its heart. Sam moved quickly and using the machete decapitated the bear before it could recover.

Sam stood back and looked for his brother, he cried in alarm when he saw Dean a short distance away; he lay on the ground unmoving. "Dean" Sam shouted as he moved as quickly as his injured body would allow him. Sam didn't feel his own wounds; all he could think about was his brother. "Oh God Dean…you can't be dead…please, can you hear me?" Sam cried as he cradled the wolf's head in his lap.

Sam could see the wound on the wolf's shoulder; it looked like it was infected. Sam reached into his pocket and pulling out the holy water, he gently cleaned the wound using a torn piece of his undershirt. He quickly ran his hand over the rest of the wolf's body, checking for any other injury and finding none, he sighed with relief. At least for now, Dean seemed to be hurt, but alive.

Sam gently laid Dean's head back onto the ground as he searched for his back pack. He spotted it at the edge of the clearing…so close and yet so far away. He had no choice; he needed to get the lighter fluid and matches so he could finish the job. Sam tried to stand, but found that his body would not obey his commands. He sat back down, his head falling dejectedly to his chest. Sam could feel the tears of frustration fall from his eyes as he realized that once again he wasn't able to finish the task by himself…he needed help.

As if sensing Sam's distress, the wolf raised its head and licked Sam's hand. Sam looked into the green eyes of his brother, reading the comfort there. "Dean…I can't do it, I'm sorry…but I can't get the back pack and finish the job." Sam patted the wolf's head; starting to giggle at the ridiculous situation they were in…here he sat next to a decapitated bear, in the middle of the woods, petting his brother on the head like a stray puppy.

Dean watched as his brother began to giggle while petting his head. He looked at Sam with concerned eyes, the kid must be losing it…especially if he thought that Dean was going to sit here and let him treat him like a stray dog. Dean shook his head and stood, the pain in his shoulder seemed to be a little less for some reason.

He looked at Sam for a moment, worried about the labored breathing and pale skin. He could see the blood flowing from the wounds that the bear had made with his claws, but the bigger concern was the obvious bullet wound in Sam's side. _"Damn that hunter…he died too easy!"_ Dean thought as he paced around Sam. Looking at the decapitated bear, Dean knew that they still need to burn the bones.

Dean headed across the clearing and grabbed the handle on Sam's back pack; he began to drag it back towards Sam. Sam might not be able to get to the back pack, but Dean could bring it to him. He just hoped that Sam could stay awake long enough to finish the job. _"Damn, this sucks big time!"_ Dean growled, wishing he could talk to his little brother. Worse yet, how was he going to take care of him? He needed immediate medical attention, but Dean couldn't help in his current condition.

Sam watched as Dean dragged the back pack towards him. "That's it Dean, just a little further…ok, thanks!" Sam reached in and grabbed the lighter fluid and matches. He stood once more, fighting the dizziness that threatened to topple him at any moment. He could see Dean staying right beside him, as if he was trying to give Sam the strength to finish. Sam managed to cover the bear with lighter fluid, but the matches were proving to be difficult. His hands were shaking so badly, that he couldn't get them to light.

"I know, I should have brought a lighter!" Sam sighed as he saw the wolf pacing impatiently beside him. Finally, he got the match lit and threw it on the bear's remains. As the carcass burned, Sam began to chant the purification rite. As he finished, he looked at Dean. "I know, the rite probably was a little overkill, but I just wanted to make sure it was gone."

Sam could almost hear the exasperated sigh coming from his brother. "Come on Dean, let's get out of here." Sam took a few faltering steps towards the edge of the woods before he fell to his knees. The pain of his wounds causing him to groan as he fell the rest of the way to the ground and remained silent.

Dean grabbed Sam's arm gently and rolled him over. He licked his brother's face, hoping to wake him, but Sam remained unconscious. _"Damn it Sammy, don't do this to me…wake up!"_ Dean growled, knowing that Sam couldn't understand him.

Sam groaned, some part of him hearing the growling near him. He opened his eyes again, afraid for the moment that the bear had somehow come back to life. As his eyes focused, he saw the head of the gray wolf looking at him. "Aw Dean…don't worry…as soon as the nymph finds you, she will reverse the transformation…she promised to do it…I just wish…" Sam fought trying to stay awake. "Dean, I know you never like to hear this, but you have been the best big brother. You've always been there for me, even now when you have your own…issues…you came and backed me up." Sam coughed, holding his chest as he felt himself slipping away.

The wolf placed his head on Sam's chest, his eyes even with Sam's own, trying to give Sam the will to continue. Sam reached up and patted Dean's head. "Well, I always wanted a dog for a pet, funny how things worked out." Sam laughed as Dean shook his head and growled. "Hey, it could have been worse…she could have turned you into a rat!"

Sam coughed again, this time weaker as his body began to shut down. "I'm sorry Dean, I know I said I would never leave you…but I don't think I can…its getting hard to breathe…Dean, you have to…have to move on…not your fault…understand…not.." Sam's eyes closed as his breathing became shallow.

Dean watched in horror as he watched his brother's life begin to fade in front of him. This couldn't be happening, not like this! Dean continued to gently push at his brother, willing him to wake up. Suddenly Dean's heart stopped…Sam wasn't breathing!

Dean did the only thing he could do in his current form, he raised his head and howled, his pain carrying throughout the forest.

TBC

Raven524: This seems like the best place to end this story…unless of course you all think there is more to tell! Drop me a line and let me know what you think!


	13. Chapter 13 Promise Fulfilled

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 13 – Promise Fulfilled**

Dean watched in horror as his brother's life begin to fade in front of him. This couldn't be happening, not like this! Dean continued to gently push at his brother, willing him to wake up. Suddenly Dean's heart stopped…Sam wasn't breathing!

Dean did the only thing he could do in his current form, he raised his head and howled, his pain carrying throughout the forest.

Dean placed his head on Sam's chest, desperately trying to give his brother the will to live. If only he were human, he could have stopped the bleeding and saved Sam. His anger at the nymph grew as he realized that she was the reason his brother was close to death, if he wasn't dead already. Dean had no way of telling for sure in his current form.

Dean knew that he had no choice. He had to find the nymph and convince her to change him back before it was too late. Dean lifted his head as he sensed something coming. His eyes scanned the forest and saw the object of his anger approaching. His first thought was to attack the woman, but as she approached, he decided to wait to see what she would do…he had to be strong for Sam.

The nymph approached the young hunter and his brother. She had felt the death of the demon but she had not expected to find the young hunter in this condition. As she came closer, she could feel Dean's anger, and yet he did not attack, he merely waited for her. "Dean, I am sorry about your brother, he has such a noble spirit…I can see now why you fight so hard to protect it. Perhaps,when he is gone, you would consider helping me?"

"I don't think so; if Sam dies…I don't have any reason to help anyone. Besides, I failed at protecting him…who would want me!" Dean growled; looking at Sam once more he continued. "You were able to heal him once before, can you do it again?"

"It is possible, but I made him a promise that must be kept. If I keep that promise, I may not have enough power left to help him and protect my forest."

"What do you mean? What promise?" Dean asked, already knowing the answer.

"Your brother asked that I restore you to your human form. He is a most amazing man; he opened my eyes to many things. Both of you have made me realize that perhaps there are alternatives to just killing. Now if you are ready, I will reverse the transformation." The nymph moved towards Dean.

"NO! If you do not have enough power to help us both, I choose to have Sam…besides if he dies, I can't go on… I need him in my life." Dean would plead if he had to, he had to make her see that Sam was worth saving, more so than him.

"I'm sorry Dean, but I made a promise and I intend to keep it." Before Dean could move, the nymph touched his head and chanted. Dean could feel himself returning to human form, but before he blacked out he tried one more time to appeal to the nymph.

"Sam went up against the demon to help you and your animals, I know my brother…he would not want to see the demon hurt anyone else. Besides, he was in your forest; trying to help you do your job…doesn't that place him under your protection as well? Are you not required to save him?" Dean felt himself slipping into darkness as the nymph considered his words.

Sam struggled to open his eyes one more time. He could feel himself teetering on the edge, it was so hard to breathe and he was feeling disconnected from his body. "Dean" Sam whispered.

"Dean is fine Sam, he is just sleeping. When he wakes up, he will be a little sore but otherwise, he should be fine." The nymph replied as she placed her hand on Sam's fevered brow. She could feel the pain and the fear, but she could also feel the strong will to live within the young man. At last she began to understand, this man and his brother still had much to give the world. They were needed to protect those that were outside her sphere of influence.

"Sam, I think I understand now what you were trying to explain to me. I can heal you, at least enough so that your brother can get you the help you need. It would not be much as my powers are very weak. You would still not be out of danger of death, but I can buy you some time. I'm not sure that there will be much of my powers left afterwards…but you and your brother still have much to do."

Sam looked at the nymph; he understood that she was going to give up her life to save his. "No, you can't do this; I will not be responsible for the death of everything within this forest. I will hang on until Dean can get me help…you'll see, I will be fine…" Sam was once again losing his battle to stay awake.

The nymph shook her head sadly. Sam was right, if she used the rest of her power, she could cease to exist and the forest would die. In this case, she could not see any other alternative; she was responsible for Sam's condition so she had to be the one to correct it. She knew that her time was coming to an end anyway; she had felt her powers getting weaker for some time now. She just hoped that the creator would see fit to send a replacement so that the forest could continue after she was gone.

_Sam didn't know where he was, all around him was a gray fog. As he walked forward, he thought he saw a familiar shape moving towards him. Sam held his breath as the shape took form…"Jess!" Sam closed the gap quickly, wanting to see her, to tell her how sorry he was for everything that had happened._

"_Sam, it's good to see you again. I have missed you!" Jessica placed her arms around Sam and gave him a hug. _

"_Jess, I've missed you so much…I'm sorry…I should have warned you" Sam held onto Jessica, not wanting to let her go._

"_Sam, there isn't much time, but I wanted to let you know that I understand. It was not your fault and there was nothing you could do to stop it from happening. It was my time."_

"_But Jess, if I hadn't gone off with Dean, I could have done something, I should have protected you. I knew about the dangers that lurk in the dark and yet I closed my eyes." Sam felt the tears running down his face as he looked at the woman he loved._

"_Sam, you have to let me go and move on. You are meant to do so much more with your life, you will be a force of good against the coming evil…I can't tell you more, but know this…I do not blame you for what happened and I'm proud of what you have accomplished since you got back together with your brother. He still needs you Sam…it is not your time yet, you must return." Jess kissed Sam before she stepped back, already beginning to dissolve into the mist._

"_No, Jess…I can't go on without you!" Sam called, trying to follow her into the fog._

"_Yes you can, you already have…just remember I'll always love you Sam!" Jessica's figure disappeared as Sam felt himself being drawn back from the fog…back to the other person in his life that he could not live without…his brother Dean._

Dean groaned as he opened his eyes. His shoulder still hurt, but he didn't care, at least he no longer was covered with fur. As he became aware of his surroundings, he sat up "Sammy!" Dean looked over and saw the nymph sitting with Sam's head in her lap. Her eyes were closed and her hands once again were resting on Sam. Dean scrambled to his feet and went to kneel beside his brother.

He watched as the nymph used her power to once again bring Sam back from the brink of death. He could see his brother's breathing improve and some color return to Sam's face. Sam moaned, "Jessica, No…please stay!"

"Aw Sammy…you have to come back, I need you!" Dean whispered close to Sam's ear, hoping his brother could hear him. Dean looked up at the nymph who now began to appear almost translucent. For a moment, Dean worried about what would happen once the nymph was gone. He knew that Sam would not want this and neither did he, but he had to save his brother's life.

For the first time, Dean truly understood why Sam took him to the faith healer. For a long time after that incident, he had been silently angry with Sam, forcing him to live with the fact that two lives had been lost to save his own. He still had trouble sometimes living with the guilt that followed him. He still felt that Layla should have been the one saved that night, not him. But in the end, even she had understood and accepted her fate with more grace and courage than Dean had ever seen before.

Dean jumped as the soft voice of the nymph broke him from his thoughts. "Dean…my time is now short, I have done all that I can, but your brother is still in danger…you must get him help as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

"Yes, will you be ok? I mean, is there anything I can do to help you?" Dean asked as he grabbed Sam's back pack and prepared to carry his brother back to the car.

"No, only the creator can replace me…until then, there will be no one to protect the forest or those within it. It is my hope that the replacement can learn from my mistakes and do a better job than me." The nymph had learned a great deal from these men, she only hoped that her successor would retain her knowledge and put it to good use.

"Look, after Sammy is taken care of…we will return and try to keep things safe…I mean, just until you are feeling better…maybe with a little rest, your powers will return as they have in the past. You just don't use any more of your power until I return…deal?" Dean wanted to believe that she would not die and that the forest could still be saved. Any other option was unthinkable.

The nymph smiled. "You do truly have the heart of the protector and all the powers that go with it…I really wish things could have been different. You will always be a powerful ally to anyone that you decide to protect. Now go, your brother needs you. Do not worry about me, I will be fine."

"Ok Sammy boy, once again I get to carry your ass out of here. You know next time you could get injured a little closer to the car…I'm getting too old for this shit!"

The nymph smiled as she listened to Dean's words; somehow she knew that because of this man…everything would be fine.

TBC

Raven524: Whoa! Ok, no more mad yo-yo threats! (shudder). Let's just chalk the last cliffie up to not enough sleep and not enough coffee…but I've loaded up on the caffeine today. As penance, I'll try to get the next chapter up by this afternoon…am I forgiven?


	14. Chapter 14 Newest Challenge

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 14 – Newest Challenge**

As Dean sat in the emergency waiting room, he thought about the last harrowing couple of hours. Sammy had never regained consciousness on the trip to the car or the long drive to the hospital. Normally the trip would have taken over 2 hours, but Dean managed to make it in half the time. While he had managed to get the bleeding under control, Sam had still lost a lot of blood and the bullet from the hunter was still in him.

Damn, he hated this part…the waiting to hear. If he were going to devise a torture chamber, the emergency waiting room would be top on his list. Dean thought about calling his father, but decided that until he knew more, it would be senseless. He had already filled out paperwork, using another fake ID…this time they were under the name of Johnson. He had also spent a great deal of time with the local police, telling them the truth, mostly.

They seemed to buy into the story about them walking into a poacher committing a crime and getting caught in the cross fire. He had to hold himself in check when the young deputy taking his statement told him that next time, they should report the crime to the local ranger's office, rather than trying to do something themselves. But Dean wasn't in the mood to spend a night in jail for decking an officer of the law…even if he deserved it.

Then of course, there was the well meaning doctor who noticed that Dean was also injured. The doctor had wanted to admit Dean for observation and to receive some fluids to help with the blood loss, but Dean had politely refused. He allowed them to give him a shot of antibiotics and a prescription for some pain meds. He had even agreed to allow them to place his arm in the funky fluorescent green sling. But he would not allow them to do anything that might keep him from Sam once he was out of surgery.

Now all he could do was wait and hope that Sam would pull through. They had taken him up to surgery over 2 hours ago to remove the bullet. The doctor had told him that the surgery should be over within 2 to 4 hours, depending on how much damage they found. Luckily the bullet appeared to have missed most of the major organs, but had lodged perilously close to the spine. Dean shuddered as he thought about all the jostling he had done to Sam getting him here. God a slight move in the wrong direction could have crippled Sam.

Finally, after 5 hours, 10 minutes and 23 seconds Dean saw Sam's doctor heading in his direction. He motioned Dean to follow him into the consultation room…not a good sign Dean thought as he followed quickly. "Mr. Johnson, first I want to assure you that your brother has come out of surgery just fine, we were able to retrieve the bullet."

"I hear a 'but' coming doctor, what is it?" Dean asked not liking where this was heading.

"Well, it's really too soon to tell, but there could have been some damage done to the spinal cord which could result in some paralysis. But right now, we just have to wait and see what happens, there is significant swelling around the spine and our hope is that once the swelling is reduced, he should get full use of his legs once more."

"So you're telling me that Sammy can't walk?" Dean asked quietly.

"For now, yes. But once again, it is most likely a temporary situation. I've seen many of these kinds of injuries, some even more severe than your brothers. They have all been able to resume normal activities."

"How long before we know?"

The doctor shrugged. "A lot depends on the patient's ability to heal and mental state. The swelling should go down within the next 24 to 48 hours. At that time, we should be able to determine the extent of the injury. Until then, it's important that you keep him up beat. He has to believe that he will walk again."

"How long before I can take him home doctor, I know my brother and he will want to be out of here as soon as possible…he hates hospitals." Dean didn't mention that he hated them as well.

"Assuming there are no complications, he should be ready to go home within the next 4 or 5 days. We normally try to get the patient into the home environment as quickly as possible with outpatient support…recovery is usually quicker than if we keep them here. Would you like to see your brother?"

"Yeah…ah, Doctor? Does Sam know any of this yet?" Dean asked, knowing that Sam would not take the news very well. Especially if there was any lingering damage.

"Yes, I told him in recovery…but he looked like he took the news well. He has been asking for you, so if you would follow me?" The doctor led Dean to Sam's room. "Don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns…and try not to worry. I'm sure that he will be just fine."

Dean took a moment to compose himself before entering Sam's room. He didn't buy that Sam took the news well. Sam was almost as good as he was at hiding his true feelings from strangers. Something both brothers learned from their father at a very young age. As he entered the room, he couldn't help but grimace at the number of bandages that covered his brother. The bear had really done a number on him. Dean walked up to the bed and placed his hand on his brother's arm. "Hey little brother…how are ya doing? I hear that they are taking auditions for extras in the next Mummy flick…I think you'd be a prime candidate!"

Sam opened his eyes and stared at Dean for a moment, then quickly looked away. "Sammy, what is it? What's wrong…are you in pain?"

Sam took a shuddering breath and swallowed a few times before turning his tear filled eyes towards Dean. "Dean, you need to leave…as soon as I get better, I'm heading back to Stanford. At least as a lawyer, I can still do some good…but as a hunter…Oh God!" Sam's face crumpled as the misery he felt over not being able to back up his brother anymore hit home.

Sam hated hunting, but he never regretted being there for his brother. He had promised he would always protect Dean's back, but how was he going to do that if he couldn't move his legs. Sam had been trying ever since he woke up to just move his toes, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing below the waist would move. He knew that the doctor had said that it might be temporary…but what if it wasn't? At some level Sam believed that he deserved what he got, he should never had let the nymph save him…the price was too high.

Sam's head snapped up when he heard the anger in his brother's voice. "How dare you Samuel, you think you can just give up, tuck your tail and run away! I thought you were better than that…I know you're better than that…well let me tell you something. You wouldn't let me die in peace and I'm going to watch you walk if I have to move your damn legs myself to do it! So you can just get any idea of me walking away from you out of your mind right now. I'm not leaving and neither are you!"

"But Dean…I can't feel my legs. I'll just be a burden to you; I can't do that to you." Sam swallowed as he felt his control slipping more under the gaze of his older brother.

Dean saw the fear in Sam's eyes and softened his tone. "Look, let's just take this one step at a time ok…the doctor says we should know something within the next two days. I believe that you will walk again…no _I know_ you will walk again, because you're too stubborn not to. Also, no matter what happens, I never want to hear you refer to yourself as a burden again…you are my brother and I will always be there for you. Just like I know you would do the same for me. Now are you in any pain? Do you need anything, because if not, I want you to lie back and get some rest."

Sam looked at his brother and noticed for the first time that his arm was in a sling. He had been so self centered on his own problems, he had forgotten that Dean had been injured as well. "How's the arm? Are you ok Dean?" Sam asked quietly.

"Ya, it takes more than a scratch to keep me down. Of course, I keep getting this craving to chew on a raw hide…but otherwise I'm good." Dean grinned, he knew Sam was trying to change the subject and for now he was willing to let him.

Sam actually smiled as he thought about Dean running through the woods as a wolf. "Ok big brother, but if I find you howling at the moon or scratching at fleas…you're getting your own room."

Dean smirked as he lowered himself into the chair in Sam's room. He knew that it would be a long night, and even longer days, but he would see Sam through this. After all it was his job.

TBC

Raven524: Ok, just one more chapter I think to tie things up…Thanks to everyone who posted reviews…even the threatening one's. They did make my day.


	15. Chapter 15 Return to the Cabin

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 15 – Return to the Cabin**

It had been the longest 3 days of Sam's life. He woke up again this morning, only to find out that he still could not move his legs. The doctors had assured him that there was no damage to his spine and that the swelling had gone down. But still his legs refused to work. He had seen the looks the doctors gave his brother when they thought he wasn't looking and he had heard the word psychiatrist more than once, but Dean had continued on as if this was just a small bump in the road.

Sam slammed his fist on his useless thigh, if there was nothing physically wrong, why couldn't he move his legs? He once again concentrated on movement, but there was nothing, not even a flinch in the muscles. He sighed in frustration, trying to compose himself as he heard Dean walking down the hallway. Sam smiled as he heard his brother propositioning a nurse outside the doorway, yeah, the nymph certainly picked the right animal for his brother.

"Ok Sammy are you ready to blow this Popsicle stand?" Dean asked as he walked in the door. Dean could see the sweat on Sam's face and knew that his brother had probably been trying to move his legs again. He had spoken to the doctors and they had assured him that if Sam wanted to walk, he could. Dean had noticed that although Sam was keeping up a good front, he had been more quiet than usual. He also noticed that Sam seemed to be having more nightmares than usual and he swore that he heard the name Jess more than once.

Each time Dean tried to talk to Sam about it, he just changed the subject or simply refused to talk about it. He knew something was bothering Sam, and he would get to the bottom of it. But he couldn't do anything as long as Sam was here. There were too many prying eyes.

"But I can't walk yet Dean…where are we going to go?" Sam hadn't wanted to leave until he was able to do so under his own power. The thought of what Dean would need to do for him in his current condition caused Sam to feel like the burden he knew he would be to his brother.

Dean heard the panic in Sam's voice. "No problem bro', that's why you get the cool wheels…what? You thought I was gonna carry your heavy ass around? No way! I help you into the chair and out…the rest is up to you." Dean walked towards the window, not wanting Sam to see the worry in his eyes. He had to make Sam believe that he was independent and not a burden…God knows he would feel the same way.

"But where are we going Dean?…I mean, how will we continue doing, you know…what we do?" Sam knew that Dean would get antsy just sitting around waiting on him. He also wasn't sure he could handle just sitting around waiting for Dean to come back from a hunt. He had spent his younger years waiting for his father to come home, constantly afraid that he would never return. The only thing that kept him sane was Dean's presence.

"Well, we actually have some unfinished business to attend to. I promised the nymph we would return and help her protect the forest until she was back on her feet. I mean, how hard can that be now that you took care of the bear? Besides, it will give you time to get back on your feet and keep me out of your hair for a while during the day." Dean started packing up the few things that Sam had with him.

"You mean the nymph is still alive…she didn't die?" Sam asked, wondering why he hadn't asked Dean about this before.

"She was the last time I saw her…but we can have this conversation on the way back to the cabin. Meanwhile, I have to finish the stack of paperwork to get your ass out of here. I'll stock up on supplies before we head out, so we'll be set for awhile." Dean watched the emotions flowing across Sam's expressive face. He could tell that Sam was terrified to leave, afraid that he would never walk again. But Dean knew that Sam would never get better with everyone waiting on him. Besides, sooner or later their luck would run out with the insurance card…he needed to get him out of here before they discovered it was fake.

"OK Dean, whatever you want is fine with me." Sam said quietly, wondering how he was going to get around in the forest if Dean needed him.

A few hours later found Dean unloading Sam from the car into the wheel chair. Sam saw that there was a new ramp leading up to the front door. "How?" Sam started.

"Let's just say, I called in a few favors from some old friends of mine."

"Wait a minute Dean…you have friends?" Sam couldn't help it, it felt good to be on his own, even if it was in the chair.

Dean slapped Sam on the shoulder, being careful not to hit any of the wounds that were still healing form the bear. The doctors had said that the stitches could come out in another week, something Dean could handle easily. All he had to do in the meantime was keep them clean and dry. All in all, except for the walking issue, Dean felt prepared to handle Sam's current medical needs. He just wasn't sure he could handle the emotional one that was keeping his brother tied to the chair.

"Here, you can hold some of this junk…it's easier to wheel it in with you!" Dean piled their bags on Sam's lap along with some of the supplies. He then pushed Sam up the ramp and into the room.

"You can put your bag over by your bed. I'm going to finish unloading." Dean grabbed his bag and the supplies, dropped them onto the table and went to get the rest.

Sam noticed that Dean was doing his best not to hover, but he also knew that sooner or later, Dean's mother hen mode would kick in. Feeling more tired than he wanted to admit, Sam wheeled over to the bed and transferred to the bed from the chair the way he had been taught in the hospital. Sighing, he closed his eyes and was soon asleep.

Dean came back in and smiled as he saw his brother sleeping peacefully…at least for now. Step one was done. Now all he had to do was get Sam to open up and maybe they would be able to figure out what was stopping him from walking.

The next morning, Dean helped Sam get out of bed, washed and dressed…letting Sam do as much as he could and not offering to help unless he was asked. As they sat finishing their coffee, Dean casually rose from his chair and reached for his jacket. "Ok Sammy, I'm heading over to the nymph's cottage to check things out. Do you think you need help getting back into bed, or would you rather stay in the chair for a bit?"

Sam swallowed, he hadn't expected Dean to leave so soon. He fought the panic building in his gut as he shook his head. "Don't worry Dean…I'm good."

Dean nodded and headed out the door. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but in his gut he knew that he needed to continue to build Sam's self confidence. A short time later he arrived at the nymph's cabin. Before he could knock, the door opened and he was met with the smiling face of the nymph. She still looked translucent, but at least she was still alive. Dean let out the breath he had been holding. "Nice to see you…I wasn't sure what to expect." Dean said awkwardly.

"Dean, I'm glad you returned…that must mean that Sam is ok?"

"For the most part…he just is having a little trouble walking at the moment, but some good fresh air should help him heal. Have you been having any more problems with poachers lately?"

"No, luckily it has been fairly quiet. I'm not sure that my powers will return, but at least I am still here and able to monitor the forest. It's just…" The nymph was at a loss for words. She wasn't used to discussing her problems with someone else or seeking advice. She was used to handling everything on her own.

"What? You can tell me, remember I'm here to help you at least until Sam is feeling better." Dean didn't want her to get the wrong impression.

"I'm not sure I have enough power to prevent the poachers from harming those I protect. I can still sense intention if I'm close enough and I can transform myself into an animal…I can also still communicate with the animals to some extent, but I can't control them with my mind as I have in the past."

"If you use any of those powers, will you weaken any further?" Dean asked, concerned about her translucent appearance.

"No, the mind control, healing powers and transformation of others took a great deal of power…the rest will not weaken me."

Dean sat down and thought over the problem. They needed to come up with a plan that would allow the nymph to protect the animals in the forest without having to use her main powers. "Look, I think two heads will work better than one…why don't you stop by our cabin tomorrow morning. Between Sam and I, we should be able to come up with something to help you on a more permanent basis. In the meantime, if you sense something, you know where I am…you can just drop by the cabin."

"Thank you Dean…I will do that." The nymph smiled as she watched the young man heading back through the forest. She felt honored that he had decided to include her, at least temporarily, in his protective power. For the first time in days, she began to feel hopeful that she would be able to continue her job until the creator decided to replace her.

As Dean approached the cabin, he looked up and saw a brief shadow move quickly away from the window. Sighing, he entered the cabin and found Sam trying to pretend that he hadn't been watching for him. Dean decided to play along for now…but soon, he and Sammy were going to need to talk.

TBC

Raven524: Ok, so it will take at least one more chapter to tie this up…I didn't think you guys would mind…I just couldn't resist a little more Sammy/Dean anst.


	16. Chapter 16 New Haunting

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm _still_ just having fun!

**Heart of the Protector**

**Chapter 16 – New Hauntings**

Dean had just finished cleaning up the dinner dishes and was getting ready to help Sam get into bed. He knew that Sam was tired, but he also knew that Sam had been having nightmares again and was probably afraid to go to sleep. "So, have you figured out a way we can help the nymph yet Sammy?" Dean asked as he sat on the bed watching his brother read an article on the computer.

Sam rubbed his hand through his hair. He couldn't find anything on the internet or in his father's journal that would help them out with their current problem. He was exhausted, but he wasn't looking forward to sleeping again. Lately his dreams had been filled with his failures…beginning with Jessica. Sam sighed, he thought he had put his feelings regarding Jessica to rest, but the encounter he had when he thought he was dying, had brought all the feeling back. God, he missed her!

"Ok, well we can work on her problem again in the morning. For now, you need to get your beauty rest…doctor's orders." Dean handed Sam the pills the hospital had sent home with him. One of which was a pain pill to help him sleep through the night…the bullet wound and the wounds from the bear, although healing, were still painful.

"Ah, Dean…can we just skip the pain pills tonight…I think I can get by without them."

"Now Sammy, you know that the doctor's want you to get a good night's sleep…unless of course there is a reason that you don't want to sleep?" Dean figured that it was time they start getting whatever was bothering Sam out on the table.

"Dean…look, I know you're worried about me…I get it, but I just don't want to talk about it right now…I just need some time." Sam resorted to the puppy dog look to get his way, knowing that Dean wouldn't push him.

"Fine, but you still take the pain pills…your body needs the rest Sam. I don't want to have to haul your ass back to the hospital…no arguments!" Dean watched as Sam reluctantly took the pills. He hated to see the resignation on Sam's face. In fact, he was kind of hoping that Sam would fight him…but lately Sam seemed to be missing the spark that made him Sam.

"Good night Dean" Sam sighed as he closed his eyes, getting ready to once more relive his failures as a hunter and as a man.

It only took 30 minutes before Sam started moaning on the bed. "Aw Sammy…why won't you let me help you?" Dean asked as he went to comfort his brother once again.

_Sam was in his apartment at Stanford, as he opened his eyes, he saw Jessica on the ceiling burning. "Why Sam? Why couldn't you protect me?"_

"_Jessica…I'm sorry…I didn't know, please forgive me!"_

_Sam turned his head, only to be met by his father's baleful stare. "Sammy…I thought we were in this together…I thought you wanted the Demon killed as much as I did. Why couldn't you finish the job Sammy?" John looked at his son with disgust in his eyes._

"_I couldn't kill you Dad, it would have destroyed Dean…I'll try harder next time Dad, please don't hate me!"_

_Sam tried to close his eyes against the pain, but once again he felt compelled to open his eyes. This time he was back at the asylum, Dean was lying on the floor rubbing his chest after Sam shot him with the rock salt._

"_Man, what's with you? All I have tried to do is protect your sorry ass and this is the thanks I get. The doctor couldn't have gotten to you if you didn't feel this way…you should have been able to resist him Sam!" Dean's eyes reflected anger and disappointment._

"_God Dean, I never would have shot you if I could've stopped it…he was just too strong for me!"_

_Finally, Sam was standing in front of the bear with yellow eyes. He could feel the bear tearing into his flesh, and could smell the copper scent of his blood filling the great bear's jaws. He saw Dean taking on the bear with nothing more than his canine teeth, giving Sam the chance to complete the job. _

"_Jeez Sam, what would you have done if I weren't here to protect your sorry ass…you can't do anything without me can you?"_

"_Dean, I'm sorry…I tried…I don't know why I can't do anything on my own…everything I do gets messed up and people get killed…Oh God, I don't want to hunt any more Dean…please, I can't handle more people getting hurt because I can't do things as well as you."_

Sam's eyes finally popped open to find Dean wiping the tears and sweat from his face. "Ok little brother, spill it…all of it. It's time we had a talk!"

Sam realized that he couldn't hold it in any longer, he told Dean everything and then closed his eyes, waiting for the condemnation he knew that he deserved. He wanted to be an equal partner on this team, but he just couldn't keep up with his father and Dean.

Dean sat back for a moment and thought about what Sam had said. He could understand it in a way, he could even see where keeping Sam on the side lines for so long would have made him doubt his own abilities. The question was, how could Dean make him see it?

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Dean opened the door and let the nymph in. "Dean, I'm sorry to intrude, but there is a poacher in the woods and he is getting ready to strike…did you think of a plan?"

Sam sat up in the bed and looked at Dean. "I may have an idea…I'm not sure…"

Dean looked at Sam. "Spill it bro'…we don't have time if we are going to stop the poacher."

Sam looked at the nymph. "Can you warn the animal to hide?"

"Yes Sam, but the poacher will just continue to track the bear."

"That's ok, we just need to buy time for you to get in position. But first, Dean said you can transform into an animal…if you are in animal form, can you be killed by a bullet?"

"No, Sam. I can't be killed even if I transform into the shape of an animal…I am still myself. That is why it doesn't drain my powers."

"Great…so here's the idea…how about we create a haunting for a change and scare the poachers away from the forest?" Sam looked at Dean, waiting for him to object.

"Dude…that's awesome…why didn't I think of that! What do you want me to do Sam?" Dean looked at Sam letting him run the show.

"Well, I'm thinking you could sort of talk to the poacher after the nymph scares him and tell him about the other hunter who ended up being bear food…I'm sure that it won't take long for the story to spread about the bear who couldn't be killed."

"Brilliant idea Sam!" Dean looked at the nymph in astonishment as she transformed into a spirit bear. Her blue eyes winking mischievously from the white face of the bear.

"Ok then let's go!" Dean looked at Sam giving him a thumbs up. He followed the nymph out into the forest.

Sam looked at the wheel chair and once again felt like he was the weak one in the mix. Maybe he should just go back to Stanford. But as Sam looked out into the night, he knew that his heart would always be with Dean…no matter where his brother was.

Sam sat back on the bed and tried to relax. He knew that when Dean returned, he would be in for one of their hated chick flick moments. Looking at the clock, Sam settled in for a long wait.

An hour had passed and still there was no sign of Dean. Sam began to worry that his plan may have gone wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. Suddenly, Sam hear the sound of gun shots in the distance. He heard the roar of a bear and then more gun shots. But the scream he heard at the end of the gun shots sent Sam springing from the bed and running for the door. "Dean!"

Sam ran into the night, headless of his own peril. All he could think about was getting to his brother. The shots had come from the same clearing they had been in when the demon bear attacked him. Sam headed for the clearing, praying that Dean was ok.

In the clearing, he could make out the shimmering figure of the white spirit bear and he could see that it was standing in front of a man on the ground while another man was running in the opposite direction. Sam skirted the edge of the clearing, keeping into the trees. As he got closer, he could see the nymph shimmer back into her original form and turn to the man on the ground.

Sam ran towards the man, knowing that it was Dean. "Dean…Oh my God! Dean!" Sam came to a sudden hault when he heard his brother's laughter bubbling up from the ground.

"Dude…you should have been here…the look on his face when the white bear attacked me…Oh man…it was a sight to see. I bet he doesn't stop running until he reaches the border." Dean was laughing so hard, the tears were actually running down his face.

Sam just looked at his brother like he had lost his mind. "What happened?"

"Your brother suggested that after he talk to the poacher, I pretend to attack him…don't worry Sam, he is uninjured." The nymph couldn't understand what Dean found so funny. But she now understood that she could protect the forest using her limited powers. She turned to Dean and Sam. "Thank you for your help. I don't think I'll be needing you any longer. I wish both of you well." Before either brother could react, the nymph reverted into her bear form and faded back into the forest.

Sam looked at Dean and shrugged. "So, does that mean we're fired?"

Dean looked at Sam, suddenly realizing that his brother was standing in front of him. "Sammy…you walked!"

"Huh…thank you captain obvious!" Sam blushed as he saw the joy on his brother's face.

"But how? I mean, when?" Sam smiled…it wasn't often that his brother was speechless.

"Well Dean, I heard you scream and the next thing I knew, they worked!" Sam reached down and helped Dean to his feet.

"So, you mean all this time all I had to do was scream?" Dean looked at Sam like he had grown two heads. "Dude, if you've been pulling my leg this whole time…I swear you're going to regret it!" Dean looked at Sam as if he was trying to decide whether or not he had been played.

"Dude…do you really think I would do that to you…ok, so maybe after the Nair in my shampoo incident, I might have considered it…but I don't know how it happened. I'm just glad it happened!" Sam turned and began walking back towards the cabin.

Later that evening, both Sam and Dean were sitting quietly at the table, sipping their coffee. Dean looked up at Sam and decided to just jump in. "Sammy…look, I know that you think you aren't as good as Dad and I…and you would be right."

Sam looked at Dean with a shocked look on his face. Dean held up his hand and continued. "You are better at research than I am, but you don't see me quitting. Each of us have our roles to play…yours is to be the geek little brother and mine…well mine is to be the handsome and talented older brother. You are not weak…you are part of a team, a team that uses the strength of each of its members to get the job done. Sam, I would never want anyone else around to guard my back."

Sam looked at his big brother and suddenly he felt whole again. "So Dean, do you miss being a wolf? I mean, all you had to do was eat and sleep all day…sounds like a great gig!" Sam asked figuring Dean was ready to end the chick flick moment.

Dean smirked, "Well, all I have to say is it's a good thing she picked me to transform…you'd look awful funny as bunny rabbit!"

Sam walked over to his bed and threw the pillow at Dean and sighed as Dean caught it and walking over to his own bed, laid down and placed it under his own head. "Night Peter Cotton Tail!" Dean laughed.

"Jerk!"

"Bitch"

Things were finally back to normal.

TBC

Raven524: Ok, another one finished. Thanks to everyone who had taken the time to read and review the story. I hope you all enjoyed it. Till next time…See Ya!


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